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Hafner looks to end slump vs. Mariners

May 1, 2008 - 1:09 PM Seattle (13-15) at Cleveland (13-15) 7:05 pm EDT

CLEVELAND (Ticker) - The Cleveland Indians offense broke out on Wednesday.

Cleveland hopes Travis Hafner follows suit on Thursday in the rubber game of a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners.

The Indians snapped a three-game losing streak with a 8-3 victory over Seattle on Wednesday. Grady Sizemore homered and Franklin Gutierrez drove in three runs for Cleveland, which managed just four runs during its recent skid.

The strong offensive showing came without Hafner, who was given a day off due to his struggles. Hafner, who hit 42 home runs two seasons ago, is mired in a 7-for-51 slump and has not homered in his last 10 games.

The slugger will be facing Miguel Batista, who left his last start with a groin injury. Batista (2-3, 5.26 ERA) allowed three runs and two hits in one-plus inning during a 4-3 loss to Oakland on Saturday.

Batista has struggled against Cleveland, going 0-3 with a 9.42 ERA in his last eight encounters with the club.

Cleveland will counter with Paul Byrd (1-2, 4.85), who is looking to build on his first win of the season. Byrd yielded four runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 6-4 victory over New York on Friday.