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Mariners look to win first series in Chicago since 2003

Aug 12, 2007 - 1:20 PM Seattle (64-50) at Chi White Sox (54-62) 2:05 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) - The Seattle Mariners are making a serious push to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

On Sunday, the Mariners look to win their first series in Chicago in over four years as they meet the White Sox in the rubber game of a three-game series.

Seattle, which last won a series against the White Sox on May 2-4, 2003, remains in a virtual tie with the New York Yankees (65-51) in the American League wild card race.

A big reason the Mariners have been able to keep pace with the surging Yankees is their 38-25 record since June 2, the second-best mark in the majors during that span to New York (42-22).

Jeff Weaver (3-10, 6.20 ERA), who is targeting his first win against Chicago since 2001, will look to continue the Mariners' winning ways. He snapped a personal four-game losing and six-game winless streak on Tuesday, getting the win by allowing three runs and 11 hits over six innings in a 10-3 win at Baltimore.

During that stretch, the righthander was 0-4 with a 4.58 ERA. In 15 lifetime appearances - 13 starts - against the White Sox, Weaver is 5-6 with a 4.23 ERA.

Rookie John Danks (6-9, 4.96), who will be making just his second start in his career against Seattle, gets the call for the White Sox. In his only start against the Mariners on May 2, Danks permitted three runs and six hits over 6 2/3 innings in a 3-2 loss.

The lefthander will be hoping to recover from a hard-luck loss after suffering a 2-1 setback against Cleveland on Tuesday despite allowing just two runs and four hits to the Indians, striking out a career-high eight over six frames.

Chicago has won six of its last nine games.