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Mariners-Indians Preview

Aug 13, 2010 - 4:44 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Seattle (44-71) at Cleveland (47-67), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Daren Brown's first series as interim manager of the Seattle Mariners went well. He hopes his next one will bring the club some rare success on the road.

The Mariners look to avoid an eighth straight road loss when they open a season-high 12-game trip against the Cleveland Indians on Friday night.

Seattle (44-71) took two of three at home against Oakland in its first series since Brown replaced the fired Don Wakamatsu as manager Monday. The Mariners hope that successful set will be the boost they need to salvage something positive from a disappointing season.

"I've enjoyed the first three games," Brown told the Mariners' official website. "I like the fact we took two-out-of three, (but) it's always a matter what are you going to do tomorrow?"

That means winning on the road, something Seattle hasn't done much in 2010.

The Mariners, an AL-worst 15-39 away from home, are mired in their worst road losing stretch since dropping 13 straight in September 2008. They went 0-7 on their last trip and carry a 21-inning road scoreless streak heading into their first meeting this season with the Indians (48-67). Seattle went 4-3 at Cleveland in 2009.

Despite the Mariners' road struggles, Brown is eager to embark on his first trip as manager for a team that has won four of six.

"I'm looking forward to it," Brown said. "I look at the positives of it. We just won two series in a row. Hopefully, that's a positive going in. If we get good pitching, play good defense and get some timely hits, I think we'll be OK."

Not getting those timely hits has plagued the Mariners, who have a .233 average with runners in scoring position and are last in the majors with 370 runs. However, a couple of Seattle's stars have hit well of late.

Former Indian Franklin Gutierrez is batting .250, but he's 10 for 31 with six RBIs in his last nine games. Ichiro Suzuki is hitting .351 in his last nine.

Suzuki, though, is 2 for 10 against Cleveland's scheduled starter, Fausto Carmona (11-9, 3.90 ERA).

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA in three starts against the Mariners, but he's looking to bounce back after giving up five runs in 7 1-3 innings of a 7-2 loss to Minnesota on Saturday.

Carmona has a 6.88 ERA while losing two of his last three outings.

"I want to win," Carmona told the Indians' official website. "I have to keep the ball down and make them hit groundballs."

Michael Brantley had four hits and Trevor Crowe drove in two runs as Cleveland snapped a four-game skid with a 4-1 win over Baltimore on Thursday.

Crowe is 6 for 13 with three RBIs in his last four games, and Brantley is 9 for 24 in his last six. Neither player has faced Seattle during their careers.

The Indians will get their first look at Seattle's David Pauley (0-4, 3.38), who makes his 19th career appearance and 11th start still searching for his first victory.

In his fifth start this season, the right-hander allowed two runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 2-1 loss to Kansas City on Saturday.