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Bedard looking to end Orioles' losing streak

Apr 28, 2007 - 2:49 PM ard looking to end Orioles' losing streak* ==============================================

Baltimore (11-12) at Cleveland (13-7) 7:05 pm EDT

CLEVELAND (Ticker) - If Baltimore Orioles lefthander Erik Bedard is going to be the team's stopper, this would be a good place to start.

With the Orioles mired in a five-game losing streak, Bedard takes the ball Saturday against the Cleveland Indians in the second game of a three-game set.

Since winning four in a row, Baltimore has dropped consecutive two-game series against Oakland and Boston before losing the opener of this series to Cleveland, which has won six straight games.

The Orioles have not lost six consecutive games since dropping nine in a row from September 18-26, 2005.

Bedard (3-2, 6.11 ERA) has allowed four or more runs in three of his five starts but is 2-0 with a 3.10 ERA in five career starts against the Indians. He allowed five runs - all in the fourth inning - and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings of Monday's 6-5 loss to Oakland.

Miguel Tejada played in his 1,103rd consecutive game Friday and should move past the Cleveland Hall of Fame shortstop Joe Sewell on Saturday for the sixth-longest streak in baseball history.

Cleveland starts Jeremy Sowers (0-1, 4.76), who will try for a fourth time for his first win of 2007. Sowers allowed three runs and nine hits in seven innings but did not factor in the decision in Monday's 7-3 victory at Minnesota.

The Indians have been winning despite the home struggles of slugging designated hitter Travis Hafner, who is hitting .342 this season but is 1-for-21 with eight strikeouts at Jacobs Field.

Hafner is hitting .400 (4-for-10) against Bedard in his career.