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Giants-Mariners Preview

May 23, 2009 - 7:31 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

San Francisco (19-22) at Seattle (20-23), 10:10 p.m. EDT

The Seattle Mariners may not face the San Francisco Giants often during interleague play, but they certainly appear to enjoy it when they do.

The Mariners look to extend their winning streak against the Giants to six straight on Saturday night when the teams play the middle game of their series at Safeco Field.

This is the eighth series played between the teams since interleague play was introduced in 1997, and the Mariners (20-23) hold an 11-9 edge. However, they've won eight of the last nine games against the Giants (19-22) since 2000. Seattle's only loss was a 5-3 defeat on July 31, 2001, and it hasn't dropped a series since June 1999.

Despite leaving 17 on base, the Mariners continued their success on Friday when Jose Lopez's run-scoring single in the 12th inning clinched a 2-1 win.

Seattle has managed only three runs in the last three games, but has come away with two wins.

The Mariners will turn to Garrett Olsen (0-1, 5.27 ERA). He gets the start after Jarrod Washburn was scratched earlier on Friday due to tightness above his left knee, and is now scheduled to face Oakland on Tuesday.

Olsen, who was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in January, has struggled in five games - one start - since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on May 6. He gave up one run and three hits, including a homer, in two-thirds of an inning of relief in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

That came after he made his only start of the season in a 5-3 loss to Boston on May 16. Olson served up a career-high three homers among four hits, and allowed five runs with four walks over six innings.

Olsen, who has never faced San Francisco, is 10-14 with a 6.89 ERA in 34 career starts with Seattle and Baltimore.

The Giants, losers of four in a row and eight of nine, hope Matt Cain (4-1, 2.65) can win a third consecutive decision for the first time since winning three starts in a row from Aug. 18-28, 2007.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA in his last three outings, and San Francisco has won all of them.

Cain was impressive again Sunday, yielding three hits in six innings of a 2-0 win over the New York Mets. He also helped himself with an RBI single in the fifth, before breaking up a doubleplay at second base.

"He did everything (Sunday)," Giants first baseman Travis Ishikawa said. "No. 1 was his pitching and keeping us in the game."

Cain will now get his first career start against the Mariners, but he hasn't fared too well in interleague play. He's 1-7 with a 4.99 ERA in his last nine games against AL opposition.