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Indians-Mariners Preview

Sep 4, 2010 - 6:39 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Cleveland (54-81) at Seattle (53-82), 10:15 p.m. EDT

The Seattle Mariners ended their home losing streak to the Cleveland Indians behind an impressive pitching performance.

David Pauley will attempt to give his team another boost Saturday night while trying to beat the Indians for the second time in less than a month.

The Mariners (53-82) had dropped six in a row at Safeco Field to the Indians before the Friday's 1-0 victory. Luke French held Cleveland (54-81) without a hit until the seventh inning, and two relievers combined with him on a three-hitter.

The Indians, who had scored 52 runs during their previous six games in Seattle, have dropped 18 of 25 overall and seven of nine away from home.

Pauley (2-6, 4.25 ERA) will try again to keep Cleveland at bay like he did in a 3-2 road victory Aug. 13. The right-hander gave up two runs and seven hits over six innings but is 0-2 with a 6.17 ERA in his last two outings.

Pauley has also allowed four runs in three consecutive starts, including Monday's 5-3 loss to Los Angeles in which he gave up a career-high three homers in his sixth and final inning.

"I thought Pauley was real good for five innings," interim manager Daren Brown told the team's official website. "In sixth inning, he left some pitches up in the zone and they obviously didn't miss them. He's had that a couple of times. One inning got to him, and that was the case tonight."

The Indians' Mitch Talbot (8-11, 4.61) has struggled even longer, going 0-5 with a 6.23 ERA in his last nine starts. He was reached for five runs and 10 hits over five innings in Monday's 10-6 defeat in 11 innings to Chicago.

"He's not making pitches," manager Manny Acta told the team's website. "That's been an issue the last couple outings. I don't know whether it's the innings catching up to him or not, but he's leaving the ball up. ... We wouldn't put anybody out there who's not feeling good. He says he feels good, but it's been a struggle, especially early in the game the last couple outings.

Seattle got six runs in just four-plus innings in beating Talbot 9-3 on Aug. 14, his only appearance versus the Mariners.

The Mariners hope facing Talbot will revive their offense, which has batted .213 over the last 12 games. They've hit three home runs over that stretch with two from former Indian Russell Branyan.

The struggles, however, are hardly surprising as Seattle ranks last in the majors in runs (435), batting average (.236) and home runs (83).

Josh Bard and Chone Figgins each had two hits off Talbot in their previous matchup, while former Mariner Shin-Soo Choo had two off Pauley.