(Sports Network) - The New York Yankees hope to put the brakes on a four-game
losing streak tonight when they start a three-game set with the Seattle
Mariners at Safeco Field.
The Yankees started their seven-game road trip in miserable fashion, as they
lost all four games of their series with the Oakland Athletics and in Sunday's
finale blew a four-run lead before falling, 5-4, in 12 innings at the
Coliseum.
Alex Rodriguez's two-run double helped stake the Yanks to an early lead, but
the A's chipped away at starter CC Sabathia and eventually tied the game in
the ninth on Seth Smith's solo home run off of closer Rafael Soriano.
Oakland then won it in the 12th when Coco Crisp lined a single to right off
Cody Eppley (0-2) to score Derek Norris.
It's the first time this season the Yankees have lost four in a row.
"It's tough to lose four games regardless of how it looks," New York's Derek
Jeter said. "We were playing pretty good coming in here but those guys have
been playing good. They beat us four games. That's all you can say."
Hoping to end the streak, New York will turn to Japanese right-hander Hiroki
Kuroda, who was brilliant his last time out and has been the Yanks best
pitcher in the last two months. On Wednesday, Kuroda scattered four hits over
seven scoreless innings to beat the Toronto Blue Jays and run his record to
9-7.
"When you have that kind of run support early in the game, you can be
aggressive and try to go inside on righties and lefties, and that's what I did
today," Kuroda said through an interpreter.
Since May 21, Kuroda has lost just one game -- winning six contests and
lowering his ERA from 4.56 to 3.46 during the that time. He's also undefeated
in eight of his last nine starts.
Kuroda beat the Mariners earlier in the year and is 1-1 in two starts against
them with a 4.05 ERA.
Seattle, meanwhile, enters after an impressive series win over the Tampa Bay
Rays. On Sunday, Blake Beavan spun eight innings of one- run ball, lifting the
Mariners to their second consecutive 2-1 victory over the Rays.
Beavan (5-6) surrendered just four hits and didn't walk a batter while
striking out five to earn the victory. Tom Wilhelmsen fired a scoreless ninth
to nail down his 10th save of the season.
Jesus Montero and Brendan Ryan each clubbed RBI doubles as the Mariners
wrapped up a seven-game roadtrip at 5-2.
"Real good roadtrip. It's tough to win on the road," said Seattle manager Eric
Wedge. "The only two losses we did have were walk-offs, so tight ballgames
throughout. These guys played tough."
Getting the call for the Mariners tonight will be righty Kevin Millwood,
who is 3-7 with a 4.15 ERA. Millwood was awful his last time out on Wednesday
in Kansas City, as he allowed seven runs and 10 hits in five innings, but
escaped without a decision in his team's 8-7 loss.
He's winless in his last nine starts and is 0-3 with six no-decisions since
last tasting victory back on May 23.
Millwood gave up a run in seven innings to beat the Yanks back on May 13, but
is just 3-6 lifetime against them with a 4.80 ERA in 14 starts.
The Yankees took two of three from the Mariners earlier in the year.
The Sports Network