Fri Apr 4 11:16:36 2008

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Mariners, Orioles start four-game series at Camden

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(Sports Network) - After both teams received an off day on Thursday, the Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles start up a four-game series this evening at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Baltimore's breather was an unscheduled one, as last night's scheduled finale of a season-opening three-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays was postponed due to rain. No makeup date was immediately announced.

The Orioles wound up splitting the shortened series, dropping the opener to the Rays by a 6-2 count on Monday and rallying for a 9-6 victory two nights later.

Baltimore trailed 6-5 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, but erupted for four runs off Tampa reliever Al Reyes during the frame to forge ahead. Ex-Ray Aubrey Huff delivered a two-run double to give the Os a 7-6 lead, while Ramon Hernandez and Adam Jones later knocked in runs with a sacrifice fly and single, respectively.

Huff added a two-run homer off Rays starter Matt Garza earlier in the game, while Brian Roberts had a solo blast in the win. Jones and Nick Markakis each went 2-for-4 with an RBI on the evening.

Jamie Walker picked up the win for Baltimore after throwing a scoreless top of the eighth, with George Sherrill holding the Rays scoreless in the ninth to earn a save.

Steve Trachsel was slated to pitch Thursdays game for the Orioles but will now toe the rubber in tonight's series opener. The veteran right-hander is beginning his 16th major league season and spent the majority of the 2007 campaign with the Orioles before being traded to the Chicago Cubs on August 31. He went 7-11 with a 4.90 earned run average in 29 overall starts last year.

The 37-year-old has not had success when facing the Mariners during his long career, having recorded an 0-4 record with a 6.93 ERA in five previous starts against Seattle. Trachsel did earn a no decision versus the Mariners last August after allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings.

Seattle got its promising 2008 season off to a good start by taking two of three games from fellow American League West member Texas at Safeco Field. In Wednesday's rubber match, Carlos Silva worked seven stellar innings in his Mariners debut to lead his new club to a 4-1 victory.

Silva, who signed a four-year, $48 million contract with Seattle over the winter, gave up just one run on three hits and struck out five to make a strong first impression. Miguel Batista finished things up with a scoreless ninth inning to register his first save since September of 2005.

Batista was inserted into the closers role when All-Star J.J. Putz was placed on the 15-day disabled list prior to the game with inflammation to cartilage attached to a rib in his right side. The Mariners are uncertain how much time that Putz, who saved a career-high 40 games in 2007, will be sidelined.

Jose Lopez provided the big blow for the Mariners offense with a three-run homer in the fifth inning, while Jose Vidro also went deep in Wednesday's win.

Seattle will sent veteran Jarrod Washburn to the mound in tonight's tilt. The left-hander is coming off a mediocre 2007 season in which he went 10-15 with a 4.32 ERA and has lost 29 games in two years since joining the Mariners as a free agent.

Washburn does have solid career numbers against the Orioles, as the 33-year- old owns a 6-3 lifetime record with a 4.46 ERA in 12 lifetime appearances (11 starts) versus Baltimore. He is also 3-1 with a 3.90 ERA in five games (4 starts) at Camden Yards.

The Mariners swept a three-game series from the Orioles in Baltimore last August and are 7-1 in their last eight matchups at Camden Yards. Seattle won seven of the nine overall meetings between these teams a year ago.