Hurricane Floyd
06-07-2002, 09:20 AM
Preview
GAME: Chicago Cubs (23-35) at Seattle Mariners (37-22).
TIME: Friday, 10:05 p.m. EDT.
The Seattle Mariners love it when National League teams come to the Pacific Northwest.
Despite having just a 15-12 record at home this season against American League opponents, the Mariners boast a 26-17 all-time home record in interleague play, a mark they hope to improve upon with three games against the struggling Chicago Cubs over the weekend.
Seattle finished 12-6 overall against the NL last season, including 6-3 at Safeco Field.
The Mariners are coming off a 10-4 loss in Oakland on Thursday but have won eight of their last 14 overall.
Ichiro Suzuki belted his first home run of the season and finished 3-for-3, extending his hitting streak to 15 games. The reigning AL MVP, who had a career-high 23-game streak last season, is in the midst of his third streak of at least 11 games this season.
Suzuki, who is batting .384 to lead the majors, has a league-leading 17 multihit games.
``If anybody's got a chance to hit .400, he's the guy who can do it,'' A's manager Art Howe said.
The Cubs, who own the second-worst batting average in the NL at .232, are still searching for a hot bat.
Sammy Sosa, who is tied with Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez for the league home run lead with 20, is hitting just .150 (3-for-20) over his last five games.
The outfielder went 0-for-4 on Wednesday, but the Cubs managed to beat the Milwaukee Brewers and avoid a sweep in the first series on their nine-game road trip.
Chicago has lost seven of its last 11 games overall.
STANDINGS: Cubs - 5th place, 11 GB, NL Central. Mariners - 1st place, AL West.
CUBS PROBABLE STARTER: Mark Prior (1-1, 5.74 ERA). Prior is 0-1 with a 7.83 ERA over his last two starts. The rookie right-hander gave up seven earned runs and seven hits along with three walks over 3 2-3 innings in a 7-3 loss to Houston on Saturday. Prior won his major league debut on May 22, allowing two earned runs and four hits in six innings of a 7-4 win over Pittsburgh.
MARINERS PROBABLE STARTER: Joel Pineiro (4-2, 3.74 ERA). Since moving into the starting rotation on April 30, Pineiro is 3-2 in seven starts. He didn't get the decision in his last outing, an 11-8 Mariners win in Baltimore on Sunday. The 23-year-old right-hander surrendered seven earned runs and nine hits over five innings. Pineiro, who has lost two straight decisions, has never faced the Cubs.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Cubs - Sosa, .312 avg., 20 HRs and 49 runs; Fred McGriff, 39 RBIs; Corey Patterson, 12 SBs. Mariners - Suzuki, .384 avg., 47 runs and 18 SBs; Mike Cameron, 10 HRs; Bret Boone, 42 RBIs.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Cubs - SS Alex Gonzalez is the only current Cub that has faced Pineiro, but he's hitless in three at-bats. ... Chicago was 9-6 in interleague play last season. Mariners - OF Suzuki's homer on Thursday was his second career leadoff homer, with the other coming at Los Angeles last July 6. ... Seattle is 44-42 all-time in interleague play.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Cubs - 13-18 on the road. Mariners - 15-12 at home.
INJURIES: Cubs - 2B Delino DeShields (hip), 15-day DL; RHP Carlos Zambrano (hamstring), 15-day DL; RHP Kyle Farnsworth (foot), 15-day DL; LHP Ron Mahay (shoulder), 15-day DL; RHP Tom Gordon (shoulder), 60-day DL; LHP Will Ohman (elbow), 60-day DL; LHP Donovan Osborne (side), 60-day DL. Mariners - OF Chris Snelling (knee), 60-day DL; SS Carlos Guillen (finger), day-to-day; RHP Jeff Nelson (elbow), 15-day DL; RHP Paul Abbott (shoulder), 15-day DL; DH Edgar Martinez (hamstring), 60-day DL.
Source: Yahoo Sports!
GAME: Chicago Cubs (23-35) at Seattle Mariners (37-22).
TIME: Friday, 10:05 p.m. EDT.
The Seattle Mariners love it when National League teams come to the Pacific Northwest.
Despite having just a 15-12 record at home this season against American League opponents, the Mariners boast a 26-17 all-time home record in interleague play, a mark they hope to improve upon with three games against the struggling Chicago Cubs over the weekend.
Seattle finished 12-6 overall against the NL last season, including 6-3 at Safeco Field.
The Mariners are coming off a 10-4 loss in Oakland on Thursday but have won eight of their last 14 overall.
Ichiro Suzuki belted his first home run of the season and finished 3-for-3, extending his hitting streak to 15 games. The reigning AL MVP, who had a career-high 23-game streak last season, is in the midst of his third streak of at least 11 games this season.
Suzuki, who is batting .384 to lead the majors, has a league-leading 17 multihit games.
``If anybody's got a chance to hit .400, he's the guy who can do it,'' A's manager Art Howe said.
The Cubs, who own the second-worst batting average in the NL at .232, are still searching for a hot bat.
Sammy Sosa, who is tied with Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez for the league home run lead with 20, is hitting just .150 (3-for-20) over his last five games.
The outfielder went 0-for-4 on Wednesday, but the Cubs managed to beat the Milwaukee Brewers and avoid a sweep in the first series on their nine-game road trip.
Chicago has lost seven of its last 11 games overall.
STANDINGS: Cubs - 5th place, 11 GB, NL Central. Mariners - 1st place, AL West.
CUBS PROBABLE STARTER: Mark Prior (1-1, 5.74 ERA). Prior is 0-1 with a 7.83 ERA over his last two starts. The rookie right-hander gave up seven earned runs and seven hits along with three walks over 3 2-3 innings in a 7-3 loss to Houston on Saturday. Prior won his major league debut on May 22, allowing two earned runs and four hits in six innings of a 7-4 win over Pittsburgh.
MARINERS PROBABLE STARTER: Joel Pineiro (4-2, 3.74 ERA). Since moving into the starting rotation on April 30, Pineiro is 3-2 in seven starts. He didn't get the decision in his last outing, an 11-8 Mariners win in Baltimore on Sunday. The 23-year-old right-hander surrendered seven earned runs and nine hits over five innings. Pineiro, who has lost two straight decisions, has never faced the Cubs.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Cubs - Sosa, .312 avg., 20 HRs and 49 runs; Fred McGriff, 39 RBIs; Corey Patterson, 12 SBs. Mariners - Suzuki, .384 avg., 47 runs and 18 SBs; Mike Cameron, 10 HRs; Bret Boone, 42 RBIs.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Cubs - SS Alex Gonzalez is the only current Cub that has faced Pineiro, but he's hitless in three at-bats. ... Chicago was 9-6 in interleague play last season. Mariners - OF Suzuki's homer on Thursday was his second career leadoff homer, with the other coming at Los Angeles last July 6. ... Seattle is 44-42 all-time in interleague play.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Cubs - 13-18 on the road. Mariners - 15-12 at home.
INJURIES: Cubs - 2B Delino DeShields (hip), 15-day DL; RHP Carlos Zambrano (hamstring), 15-day DL; RHP Kyle Farnsworth (foot), 15-day DL; LHP Ron Mahay (shoulder), 15-day DL; RHP Tom Gordon (shoulder), 60-day DL; LHP Will Ohman (elbow), 60-day DL; LHP Donovan Osborne (side), 60-day DL. Mariners - OF Chris Snelling (knee), 60-day DL; SS Carlos Guillen (finger), day-to-day; RHP Jeff Nelson (elbow), 15-day DL; RHP Paul Abbott (shoulder), 15-day DL; DH Edgar Martinez (hamstring), 60-day DL.
Source: Yahoo Sports!