Mariners vs. Rangers
Arlington, TX – In a year they appeared set to contend for a division title, the Seattle Mariners haven’t gotten off to a strong start, but it’s not for lack of effort from Franklin Gutierrez.
After helping his team snap a four-game slide, Gutierrez will try to lead the Mariners to their third straight series victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
Oddsmakers from online sports book BroburySports.com have made the Rangers –150 money line favorites for Sunday’s game against the Mariners. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 65% of more than 565 bets for this game have been placed on the Rangers -150.
The Mariners (2-4) batted .199 through their first five games and received word before this weekend that top starter Cliff Lee is expected to miss the rest of this month because of a strained abdominal muscle.
While it was an inauspicious start to the season, Seattle broke out with a season-high 12 hits Saturday, including three key singles in the ninth inning, in a 4-3 comeback victory. Trailing by two heading into the final frame, Seattle got RBI hits from Ichiro Suzuki, Ken Griffey Jr. and Gutierrez.
Gutierrez drove in the go-ahead run then made a leaping catch against the wall in right-center field in the bottom of the inning to deny Elvis Andrus a potential extra-base hit with one out.
"It was very important, this victory," Gutierrez said. "We’ve been having a tough time scoring runs. So it was very special that we won. We’ve got to keep doing it and do it better."
Gutierrez’s three-hit performance Saturday gave him a team-best .435 average (10 for 23) and extended his hitting streak to 11 games dating to Sept. 30.
He’ll try to add to that streak and help Ian Snell (0-0, 1.50 ERA) to his first win of the season.
The right-hander allowed one run and four hits over six innings Tuesday in Oakland but did not receive a decision in the Mariners’ 2-1, 10-inning defeat.
Snell got his only career win over the Rangers in Arlington on June 13, 2007. In an 8-1 victory for Pittsburgh, he scattered seven hits while recording one of his two career complete games.
Snell did not get a decision in two starts in 2009 against Texas but will face a team that’s also struggling at the plate to open this season.
The Rangers (2-3) are batting .216, and only Vladimir Guerrero (.474), Joaquin Arias (.455) and Nelson Cruz (.444) are hitting better than .250.
Cruz hit his fourth homer Saturday to give his team a two-run lead in the sixth inning, but Frank Francisco blew his second consecutive save opportunity.
"It’s a tough thing; it should have been a win today," Cruz said. "It’s really disappointing, but that’s baseball. Anything can happen."
Francisco, who retired one batter Saturday, also allowed three runs in the ninth inning of a 3-1 loss to Toronto on Thursday. Texas manager Ron Washington wouldn’t say if the Dominican right-hander would remain the team’s closer.
"Stay tuned," he said.
Whoever relieves Scott Feldman (0-0, 3.86) could have the opportunity to help the right-hander to his second win in seven starts dating to the end of last season.
Feldman suffered three straight defeats to finish 17-8 in 2009 and did not get a decision in Monday’s season opener, a 5-4 home win over Toronto. He allowed three runs and five hits over seven innings, but the Blue Jays’ Shaun Marcum also carried a no-hit bid into the seventh.
Feldman was 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA in four starts last season against the Mariners.
Posted: 4/10/2010 11:27 PM ET