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Wang, Yankees aim to get on track vs. Mariners

May 5, 2007 - 2:07 PM Seattle (13-11) at NY Yankees (12-15) 3:55 pm EDT

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Yankees' pitching woes continued on Friday night. They now will look to struggling ace Chien-Ming Wang to give them a much-needed boost.

Wang will look for his first win of the season when he takes the mound for the Yankees against the Seattle Mariners in the second game of a four-game series on Saturday afternoon.

Rookie starter Kei Igawa and two relievers suffered through an eight-run fifth inning Friday as the Mariners pounded out 20 hits in a 15-11 victory over the Yankees.

The Mariners sent 13 men to the plate against Igawa, Colter Bean and Luis Vizcaino in the inning. The three pitchers combined to throw 46 pitches and Bean took the loss after being yanked from the game with a 2-0 count on his final hitter.

New York has been ravaged by injuries all season, including those to starters Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, Phil Hughes and Wang. But with Mussina and Wang back in the rotation, the Yankees are relying on them to step up.

But Wang (0-2, 5.84 ERA) has picked up losses in both of his starts this season. He allowed four runs and six hits in six innings in a 7-4 loss to the rival Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

Wang will be opposed by former Yankee Jeff Weaver (0-4, 18.26), who also is aiming for his first win of the campaign. The righthander has been awful so far, allowing at least six runs in three of his four starts.

In his last outing, Weaver lasted just one-third of an inning - yielding six runs and seven hits - in an 8-3 loss to Kansas City on Saturday.

On Friday, the Mariners won for just the fourth time in their last 15 visits to Yankee Stadium.