Tue Apr 29 11:37:26 2008

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Rotation keeping Mariners on course

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(Sports Network) - There's no doubt that the Seattle Mariners have a solid pitching staff in place for the 2008 season. And the top five hurlers, specifically Erik Bedard, are being relied on to bring an AL West title back to the Emerald City for the first time since the 2001 campaign.

Bedard joining the Seattle rotation was the biggest news in the offseason for the franchise, but inflammation in his left hip forced the strikeout king to the disabled list earlier this month. Bedard, who was acquired from Baltimore for a handful of players, returned with style on April 26 against Oakland by hurling 6 2/3 shutout innings in a 5-3 victory.

The southpaw threw 19 first-pitch strikes and 95 total pitches against the Athletics to improve to 2-0 with a 2.04 ERA in three starts this season. He is just 47 K's shy of 700 for his career. M's manager John McLaren was certainly pleased with the performance, especially because it ended a three-game losing streak.

"That was a pretty spectacular return for Mr. Bedard," McLaren said after the win. "He really looked great. He had everything working. He had great control and really threw the ball well."

Unfortunately the Mariners went right back to their recent losing ways in Sunday's 4-2 setback against Oakland. Starting pitcher and second ace to the rotation Felix Hernandez was saddled with the defeat, allowing four runs in the eighth inning. He tossed seven scoreless frames and also struck out 10 batters, giving him a league-leading 41 K's on the year.

King Felix is 2-1 with a 2.22 earned run average in six starts this season. He was 2-0 over his initial five trips to the mound before imploding late in Sunday's setback to the A's. The hard-throwing righty, however, will rebound with ease because he just too good to fall apart.

The setback halted Hernandez's career-high six-game win streak. Hernandez is also approaching 500 career strikeouts, as he owns 459 so far.

Mariners unbeaten starter Carlos Silva is 3-0 with a 2.83 earned run average in five starts this season. The bulky right-hander has pitched at least six innings in each of his outings this season for McLaren, and is on pace for his first winning campaign since 2005 with Minnesota.

Jarrod Washburn is off to another slow start, as he owns a 1-3 record with a 4.03 ERA in five outings in 2008. Washburn, who is 0-2 in his last three trips to the rubber, has pitched no less than five innings in each of his starts this season. The lefty is expected to take the hill on Wednesday against the Cleveland Indians in the second test of a three-game series at Progressive Field.

Finally, Miguel Batista is expected to shake off a groin problem before taking the hill again on Thursday against the Tribe. The veteran righty left Friday's game in the second inning after straining his groin muscle and allowing three runs and two hits in just an inning of work. Batista eventually put a wrap on his upper leg and did work in the pool before Saturday's game, and did some light throwing in the outfield during batting practice.

Batista has battled through tightness in his lower back and hip since the spring. He is 2-3 with a 5.26 ERA in six games (five starts) in 2008.

PERLOZZO TO MISS SOME TIME

Mariners third-base coach and former MLB manager Sam Perlozzo is expected to be sidelined for quite some time with a torn meniscus in his left knee.

Perlozzo, 57, sustained the problem while running out to the coach's box at third on Friday night versus Oakland. He is scheduled to undergo surgery in the next few weeks.

First-base coach Eddie Rodriguez took over for Perlozzo at third, while bench coach Jim Riggleman moved to first base. Perlozzo will be the interim bench coach until he is healthy.

WHO'S HOT

Mariners second baseman Jose Lopez is riding an eight-game hitting streak, while All-Star outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is in the midst of a seven-game streak. Ichiro has eight hits and four RBI in the seven games.

"He has done everything a second hitter is supposed to do, and a little bit more," McLaren said of Lopez. "He's hitting behind runners extremely well and taking pitches to let Ichiro steal a base. Jose has been a big positive for us."

Outfielder Raul Ibanez leads the ballclub with five homers and 20 RBI. First baseman Richie Sexson has a hit in three straight games, and also owns five homers this season. Sexson has knocked in 16 runs so far in 2008.

WHO'S NOT

Washburn (see above) is a good fit for this category, but so is outfielder Brad Wilkerson. In his first season with the Mariners, Wilkerson is batting a miserable .189 with just five RBI and no home runs. He has just 10 hits in 53 at-bats this season, and five over the previous eight games.

ON DECK

Seattle (12-14) has lost four of five and six of its last nine games. It just completed a six-game homestand with a 2-4 record.

The Mariners will open a six-game road swing on Tuesday with the first of three straight matchups with Cleveland at Progressive Field. They will then pay a visit to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx from May 2 - 4.

Seattle has scored five or more runs only twice over its last nine contests.