Baltimore @ Seattle preview
T-Mobile Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 8, 2009 ) Baltimore 5, Seattle 3
The Baltimore Orioles snapped a nine-game losing streak with an 8-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.
Ty Wigginton had the big bat for Baltimore with a ninth-inning homer and four RBIs. The Orioles (2-11) are off to their worst start since beginning losing their first 21 games in 1988.
Baltimore will try to continue the momentum as it begins a three-game series Monday night against the Seattle Mariners.
Seattle (6-7) had its four-game winning streak snapped Sunday in the finale of a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers. Seattle pitchers struggled with control in the game, allowing a season-high nine walks. The Mariners already have surpassed last season’s single-game total of seven walks.
Baltimore right-hander Brad Bergesen (0-1) was roughed up in his last game, allowing five earned runs and seven hits in three-plus innings. Bergesen has given up 10 earned runs in just 7 2/3 innings and enters Monday’s game with an 11.74 ERA.
The Orioles' hurler has yet to throw more than five innings in a start. He did have problems in the offseason with his shoulder, but said he is not making excuses. In three career starts against the Mariners, Bergesen is 1-1 with a 2.14 ERA.
Doug Fister (1-1) is coming off his best game, holding Oakland to three hits in eight scoreless innings of a 3-0 victory last Tuesday. Fister threw 100 pitches - 71 for strikes - in his longest career outing. The tallest Mariner on the roster at 6-foot-8, Fister will face Baltimore for the first time in his career.
Mariners left fielder Milton Bradley did not start Sunday’s finale against the Tigers with a sore right calf, but he struck out pinch-hitting for Adam Moore in the ninth inning. Bradley started the season 1-for-22, but has driven in six runs in Seattle’s seven-game homestand and is batting .250.
Third baseman Jose Lopez saw his home hitting streak end at 12 games, dating to 2009, by going 0-for-4 Sunday.
Baltimore will likely be without veteran third baseman Miguel Tejada, who missed Sunday’s finale against Oakland.
Tejada suffered a right hip abductor strain in Saturday’s 4-3 loss to Oakland. It was originally thought that he had a groin strain, and he is listed as day-to-day.