• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

RHP Batista takes mound as Mariners host Padres

May 18, 2007 - 2:07 PM San Diego (22-19) at Seattle (18-18) 10:05 pm EDT

SEATTLE (Ticker) - Miguel Batista looks to get the Seattle Mariners over the .500 mark when he takes the mound against the San Diego Padres in the opener of their interleague series on Friday.

Batista (3-3, 6.98 ERA), will look to get back on track after allowing season-high seven runs in just 2 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season in a 7-2 loss to the New York Yankees on Sunday.

Prior to that horrific start, Bastita had allowed two runs in each of his past three starts. He might have some difficulty against the Padres, as he went 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA in three starts against them as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks last season.

Brian Giles will be eager to step into the box against Batista. Giles is hitting .360 (9-for-25) vs. the righthander, with two doubles a homer and five walks.

San Diego outscored the Mariners by a lopsided 48-25 in taking five of the six meetings between the teams last season.

Looking for their fifth win in seven games, the Padres send Chris Young (4-3, 3.11 ERA) to the mound. The righthander, who lost his last start, has given up just three earned runs over 19 1/3 innings in his last three outings.