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Struggling Rangers host lowly Mariners

Sep 1, 2008 - 2:21 PM Seattle (53-83) at Texas (66-71), 8:05 pm EDT

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- The comforts of home haven't been too comforting to the Texas Rangers lately.

Losers of nine of 11 at Arlington, the struggling Rangers host the opener of a three-game set against the lowly Seattle Mariners on Monday.

Texas is coming off a 4-3 road trip, salvaging the finale of a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels with a 4-3 win Sunday. However, it will have to find a way to stop a three-game slide at home against the last-place sqaud in the American League West.

Matt Harrison (6-3, 5.67 ERA) takes the mound for the Rangers with hopes of slowing the the Mariners, who swept a three-game series at Cleveland over the weekend, and have won seven of their last nine bouts.

The 23-year-old lefthander has won four of his last five decisions and earned a win in his last start against the Kansas City Royals, allowing two runs - one earned - and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings on Wednesday.

He has surrendered four or more runs in five of his last 10 outings, but remains as one of the bright prospects who was acquired from the Atlanta Braves along with Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Neftali Feliz, Beau Jones and Elvis Andrus for Mark Teixeira and Ron Mahay prior to the 2007 trade deadline.

Seattle counters with Carlos Silva (4-14, 6.36), who will be making his first start since being placed on the 15-day disabled list August 16 due to biceps tendinitis.

The righthander is 0-3 with an 11.39 ERA in his last five starts and hasn't won since June 28, when he held the San Diego Padres to two runs and eight hits in seven innings of a 4-2 victory.

Silva's last outing was a rough one, getting tagged for nine runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 frames against his former team, the Minnesota Twins on August 15.

Josh Hamilton belted his 30th homer of the season on Sunday and got his major league-leading 117th RBI in the process.