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Mariners turn to bullpen against Blue Jays

Jul 1, 2008 - 3:15 PM Toronto (41-43) at Seattle (31-51), 10:10 p.m. EDT

SEATTLE (Ticker) -- With Felix Hernandez on the disabled list, the Seattle Mariners will throw their bullpen at the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday at Safeco Field.

Hernandez was placed on the disabled list after Monday's contest with a left ankle injury suffered against the New York Mets on June 23. The Mariners' ace leaves a gaping hole in the rotation and no immediate solutions as to who would fill the role.

Seattle will give Ryan Rowland-Smith (2-1, 2.66 ERA) the start Tuesday, but the reliever is unlikely to last more than three or four innings. Rowland-Smith has appeared in 58 games the past two seasons, all out of the bullpen.

The lefthander has twice tossed at least three innings this season, including a 3 1/3-inning appearance June 13 against Washington in which he did not allowed a hit. Roy Corcoran and Brandon Morrow are candidates to back up Rowland-Smith.

The bullpen crew will be trying to help the Mariners bounce back from a 2-0 setback in the series opener Monday, when Roy Halladay struck out six in his 10th career shutout.

Jesse Litsch (8-4, 3.82) will get the start opposite Rowland-Smith on Tuesday for Toronto. The righthander bounced back from a pair of rough starts Thursday with a win against the Cincinnati Reds, allowing one run in eight innings.

Litsch faced the Mariners on June 9, yielding two runs and 10 hits in six innings while not factoring in the decision at Rogers Centre.