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Tribe targets sixth straight win in Seattle

Apr 9, 2011 - 2:34 PM (Sports Network) - Justin Masterson tries to follow up a terrific season debut this evening when the Cleveland Indians play the second test of their three- game series against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.

Masterson, who lost 13 games a year ago, held the Chicago White Sox to a run and seven hits in seven innings to get the win. He also walked two batters without striking anyone out, but induced 16 outs via groundball.

The sinkerballing right-hander has faced the Mariners six times (three starts) and is 2-0 with a 1.16 ERA.

Cleveland continued to impress on Friday, as Travis Hafner belted a three-run homer to cap a 10-run fourth inning, helping the Tribe to a 12-3 blowout.

Hafner ended with four RBI, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a solo homer and Orlando Cabrera went 3-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and one driven in for the Indians, who have won five straight to improve to 5-2 on the young season.

Carlos Carrasco (1-0) was charged with one run on four hits and three walks while striking out six in picking up the victory.

Jason Vargas (0-1) was battered for seven runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings in the loss, Seattle's fifth straight after winning its first two games.

"They just started hitting the ball," Vargas said. "(I was) making some pitches and (they) started dumping it in, started smelling it and (I) couldn't shut it down."

Tonight, Seattle will hand the ball to Doug Fister, who lost his first start on Sunday to Oakland. Fister gave up three runs (two earned) in 5 2/3 innings of that one.

The right-hander should be more comfortable at Safeco, where he has pitched to a 3.64 ERA for his career, opposed to the 4.86 ERA he has posted on the road. He has only faced the Tribe twice and is 0-1 against them with a 4.63 ERA.

Seattle won four of its seven meetings with the Indians last season, but the teams split the four matchups held in the Emerald City.