Igoe4Mariners
05-17-2010, 12:03 PM
The Seattle Mariners (14-23) travel to the Oakland Athletics (18-20) for a brief two game set to end their eight game road trip. Seattle has a poor 2-4 record to show for what has been a somewhat well played road trip. The Mariners should've won five of their six road games so far on this trip, but a combination of bad luck, bullpen woes, and lack of clutch-hitting resulted in three losses that ended in the opposing team's final at bat.
The Oakland Athletics, one of the surprising team's to start the season have since faded out of first place in the weak AL Western Division. They have lost five in a row and are coming off a road trip where they went 1-5 at Texas and at Los Angeles.
Pitching Matchups:
Ryan Rowland-Smith, LHP (0-3, 6.44) vs. Gio Gonzalez, LHP (3-3, 4.08)
Felix Hernandez, RHP (2-3, 3.88) vs. Ben Sheets, RHP (2-3, 5.70)
Both teams come into this series needing victories. While Oakland is favored in the first game, Ryan Rowland-Smith is due for a turnaround performance. He has struggled mightily this season after being the second most consistent pitcher at the end of last year for the Mariners. In game two Felix has always been great against Oakland, but Ben Sheets has the potential to shut down any offense; and shutting down the Mariners is not the toughest task in the world.
The Oakland Athletics, one of the surprising team's to start the season have since faded out of first place in the weak AL Western Division. They have lost five in a row and are coming off a road trip where they went 1-5 at Texas and at Los Angeles.
Pitching Matchups:
Ryan Rowland-Smith, LHP (0-3, 6.44) vs. Gio Gonzalez, LHP (3-3, 4.08)
Felix Hernandez, RHP (2-3, 3.88) vs. Ben Sheets, RHP (2-3, 5.70)
Both teams come into this series needing victories. While Oakland is favored in the first game, Ryan Rowland-Smith is due for a turnaround performance. He has struggled mightily this season after being the second most consistent pitcher at the end of last year for the Mariners. In game two Felix has always been great against Oakland, but Ben Sheets has the potential to shut down any offense; and shutting down the Mariners is not the toughest task in the world.