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M's hope to end record losing streak in opener with Yankees

Jul 25, 2011 - 2:58 PM (Sports Network) - The Seattle Mariners try to end their franchise-worst losing streak this evening when they open a three-game series against the hosting New York Yankees.

Unfortunately, though, the Mariners have lost 13 of their last 17 in the Bronx.

Seattle set a club record on Sunday by losing its 15th straight game, falling 12-8 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Brendan Ryan drove in a total of five runs in the loss, while Miguel Olivo added a two-run homer for the Mariners, who surpassed the old franchise record for futility, originally set from September 2-18, 1992.

"There's definitely frustration. I don't hear too many laughs right now and there shouldn't be," said Ryan. "We battled today, we just couldn't make up enough ground.

"Definitely nothing to celebrate there right now. It's pretty meaningless, lost in another 'L.'"

Michael Pineda (8-7) lasted just 4 1/3 innings, charged with eight hits and seven runs with four strikeouts.

"Obviously something was going on with Pineda," Ryan said. "You're not teeing off on a guy like that just coincidentally. They saw something. Hopefully we can figure that out, because he's too good to be hit like that."

Tonight, the Mariners turn to left-hander Jason Vargas, who has lost his last three starts and has allowed 10 runs (seven earned) and eight hits in nine innings of his two starts in the second half.

Vargas was roughed up by the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, as he gave up five runs and six hits and walked five batters in just three innings to fall to 6-8 on the year, while raising his ERA to 3.94.

The Yankees battered Vargas back on May 29, reaching him for six runs in three innings. He is 0-2 lifetime against them with a 7.66 ERA in five games (four starts).

New York will pin its hopes on right-handed veteran Freddy Garcia, who was brilliant in beating the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday. Garcia scattered eight hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out seven without walking a batter to run his record to 8-7 on the year to go along with a 3.21 ERA.

Garcia, who pitched five-plus years in Seattle, has faced the Mariners nine times and is 4-3 against them with a 5.46 ERA.

The Yankees enter tonight's tilt after taking two of three from the Oakland Athletics over the weekend. New York picked up a series win on Sunday, as Curtis Granderson belted a two-run homer, Bartolo Colon threw seven strong innings and Mariano Rivera escaped sticky jams in the eighth and ninth innings to give the Yankees a 7-5 win.

Colon (7-6) snapped a three-start losing streak, giving up two runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out four. The 38-year-old righty also beat the A's on May 30 with a four-hit shutout and is 8-5 against them in his career.

"I thought he looked really good," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. "The two runs he gave up, the first couple balls weren't hit very hard."

The Mariners took two of three from the Yankees in Seattle earlier in the season.