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Hernandez tries to solve Rangers

Sep 9, 2008 - 2:42 PM Texas (70-74) at Seattle (56-86) 10:10 p.m. EDT

SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez will be looking for his first win in six starts against the Texas Rangers when the teams meet on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old righthander has developed into one of best pitchers in the American League and is a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable season for the Mariners, who own the worst record in the AL.

Hernandez (9-9, 3.18 ERA) ranks fourth in the AL in ERA and seventh in strikeouts with 157 in 175 1/3 innings. The Venezuelan has posted a 2.87 ERA against the Rangers in five outings this season, but has yet to produce a win over the division rivals. Seattle has managed a total of eight runs in support of Hernandez against Texas.

The Mariners have performed admirably of late, winning nine of its last 13 games to pull ahead of the San Diego Padres (56-88) and Washington Nationals (56-88) in the race to avoid the worst record in baseball. Seattle took two of three from the New York Yankees over the weekend.

The Rangers dropped two of three to the Boston Red Sox over the weekend and have lost six of 10. Texas trails the first-place Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (87-56) by 17 1/2 games in the AL West Division.

If Texas loses Tuesday and if Anaheim beats New York, the Angels would clinch their second straight division title and their fourth in the last five years.

Vicente Padilla (12-7, 4.98) will get the nod for Texas on Tuesday. The veteran righthander will be making his first start since being placed on the 15-day disabled list on August 25 with a strained left hamstring.

In three starts before being placed on the DL, Padilla went 0-2 with an 8.40 ERA. He is 1-0 with a 2.52 ERA in four starts against Seattle this season.