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Suzuki, Mariners aim to bounce back vs. Blue Jays

Jul 26, 2008 - 10:09 AM Seattle (38-64) at Toronto (52-51) 1:07 pm.

TORONTO (Ticker) -- Ichiro Suzuki hopes to rebound from a forgettable game and move closer to baseball history on Saturday as the Seattle Mariners face the Toronto Blue Jays.

A Gold Glove Award winner every season since coming to the U.S. in 2001, Suzuki was the subject of conversation after Friday's 5-4, 10-inning loss - the Mariners' sixth straight. The speedy right fielder could not make a play on Joe Inglett's line drive, which hit off his glove, allowing the game-winning runs to score.

Suzuki did not fare much better at the plate, going 0-for-5. Still, the Mariners' franchise player is five hits away from becoming the 29th player to reach 3,000 hits - albeit in two different professional leagues. Suzuki has 1,717 hits since joining the Mariners.

Suzuki, who is hitting .095 (2-for-21) over his last five games, will try and break out against Blue Jays rookie David Purcey (0-1, 11.05 ERA). Purcey is making his third career start in place of Jesse Litsch, who was optioned to Class AAA Syracuse of the International League on Wednesday. The 26-year-old lefthander has been touched for nine runs and seven hits in his first 7 1/3 innings.

Seattle, which has the worst mark in the American League, hands the ball to R. A. Dickey (2-5, 3.93), who is also making a spot start. Dickey is filling in for Carlos Silva, who was scratched due to tightness in his lower back. The 33-year-old knuckleballer, who is winless since June 24, allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings of a 4-2 loss to Boston on Tuesday.