Baltimore @ Seattle preview
T-Mobile Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 20, 2010 ) Baltimore 1, Seattle 3
For the second consecutive night, a Hernandez will take the mound at Safeco Field.
Unfortunately for the Baltimore Orioles, it will be right-hander Felix Hernandez - the 2009 American League Cy Young Award runner-up - as the Seattle Mariners vie for the three-game series sweep on Wednesday night.
The Orioles (2-13) saw their woeful start continue with a 3-1 loss to Jason Vargas and the Mariners on Tuesday night.
David Hernandez fell to 0-3 this season and has lost nine consecutive decisions. He has not won since Aug. 11, 2009 against the Oakland Athletics.
While the Orioles continue to receive bad news, the Mariners enjoyed a victory both on and off the field on Tuesday.
Major League Baseball dropped its five-game suspension of prize left-hander Cliff Lee, who had appealed last week. Lee, who is also battling a recurring abdominal strain, threw well in a simulated game Tuesday and could be in the starting lineup in less than 10 days. That means the Mariners will have to bump someone not named Hernandez from the rotation.
But Vargas kept his bid to remain in the rotation alive, throwing seven sound innings, allowing three hits and one run. That followed a strong night from Doug Fister, who took a no-hitter into the seventh in an 8-2 victory.
Felix Hernandez will be making his 11th career start against the Orioles, but he has yet to get a victory against them at home. He is 0-3 record and 4.99 ERA in five games against Baltimore at Safeco Field.
The Orioles will try to stop their slide behind 35-year-old veteran right-hander Kevin Millwood. In 21 career starts against the Mariners, Millwood is 8-11 with a 5.08 ERA. He has won 30 percent of his games at Safeco, going 3-7 with a 5.25 ERA.
When the Mariners have led entering the ninth, they have been unbeatable behind closer David Aardsma. He earned his sixth save in as many opportunities Tuesday night with an inning of one-hit relief and has yet to allow a run this season. Aardsma has 16 consecutive saves with 18 strikeouts and three walks during that time.
Seattle could be without outfielder Milton Bradley, who left in the first inning of Tuesday's game with a sore calf muscle after driving in a run.
Baltimore third baseman Miguel Tejada (hip) sat out his third consecutive game, but could return in the series finale.
The road doesn't get any easier for the Orioles, who play four games against the Boston Red Sox starting Friday. They then play three games at home against the world champion New York Yankees.
After Wednesday’s game, the Orioles - already nine games behind the Yankees - play 12 consecutive contests against either the Red Sox or Yankees.