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Miley, D-backs open series with Mariners

Jun 18, 2012 - 2:47 PM (Sports Network) - Wade Miley suffered the definition of a tough-luck loss last time out. The way Arizona's offense has continued to struggle, there is no guarantee he'll be in line for any run support tonight either.

Nonetheless, Miley takes the mound Monday night for the Diamondbacks as they try to snap a seven-game losing streak to the visiting Seattle Mariners in the opener of a three-game series.

Miley has allowed one run or less in six of his past 10 appearances and that includes last Wednesday's start against the Rangers. The left-hander allowed one run on three hits and a walk in 7 2/3 frames of work while striking out a career-high eight batters, but suffered a 1-0 loss.

Miley, who has allowed two runs in his past two outings (15 2/3 innings), fell to 7-3 with a 2.39 earned run average in 13 games (10 starts) this season and faces the Mariners for first time.

The 25-year-old's outing was one of three times that Arizona was shut out on its 2-4 road trip, with the club plating 17 runs on the swing. However, 11 of those came in last Thursday's win over the Rangers and another five were plated in Friday's blanking of the Angels.

The Diamondbacks then suffered a pair of 2-0 defeats to the Angels, dropping Sunday's rubber match despite an excellent outing from Ian Kennedy.

Kennedy gave up two runs and struck out six without a walk over the eight- inning complete game, but still fell to 5-7 on the season. Jason Kubel had two of Arizona's four hits.

"It was a great performance by Kennedy," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "We have to be more consistent, we're struggling offensively. It's frustrating, but tomorrow is a new day."

That new day brings an opponent in Seattle that hasn't lost to the Diamondbacks in seven straight meetings since a 5-3 defeat at home on July 16, 2001 and not in Arizona since July 17 of the previous year. The Mariners have won five straight series versus the D-Backs since Arizona took two of three at home in 1998.

Hector Noesi will look to keep Seattle's winning streak in this series intact as he faces Arizona for the first time.

The right-hander is winless in his past seven outings (0-4), but like Miley is coming off a tough-luck defeat. Noesi gave up a run on five hits and three walks over seven innings versus the Padres on Wednesday, but took a 1-0 setback to fall to 2-7 with a 5.54 ERA in 13 starts this year.

Noesi, 25, is also 0-3 with an 8.15 ERA in seven outings on the road in 2012.

Seattle rebounded from Friday's loss to San Francisco that stretched its losing streak to six straight with a pair of wins to claim the series. The Mariners took Sunday's rubber match 2-1 thanks to Justin Smoak's game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, which plated pinch-runner Munenori Kawasaki from second base.

"I tried to get a pitch to hit and not try to do too much," said Smoak. "I got a changeup right over the plate and put a good swing on it."

Smoak's heroics came after Tom Wilhelmsen escaped a bases-loaded jam in the top of the ninth unharmed. Starter Felix Hernandez allowed a run over seven innings in a no-decision.