Rays/MLB

Up next: Mariners

By MARC TOPKIN
Published September 1, 2006

UP NEXT: MARINERS

WHAT'S NEW: After an 0-11 road trip that pretty much ended their postseason hopes, included the trade of veteran longtime ace Jamie Moyer and fueled speculation that manager Mike Hargrove would be fired, the Mariners rebounded with a 7-2 homestand that featured a season-best six-game winning streak. Since the Rays last saw them in early August, the Mariners moved Ichiro Suzuki from rightfield to center and called up Korean right-hander Cha Seung Baek and Jake Woods to join the rotation.

INJURIES: The Mariners are running short on relievers: Right-hander Mark Lowe is on the DL with an elbow problem, Julio Mateo broke a bone in his left hand while lifting weights, and Rafael Soriano was hit in the head by a line drive. And outfielder Jeremy Reed is on the DL with a fractured right thumb.

KEEP IN MIND: Ichiro's .284 average (56-for-197) against the Rays is his lowest against an AL team by far. He has hit .309 against the Angels. . . . After the 14 times Raul Ibanez has been intentionally walked, Richie Sexson is 8-for-12 with four home runs, including three grand slams, one against Rays, and has walked twice. . . . Third baseman Adrian Beltre hasn't made an error in his past 48 games.

WHO'S HOT: Ibanez, who has 104 RBIs, went 11-for-28 on the nine-game homestand, and Sexson went 12-for-33.

WHO'S NOT: Ben Broussard went 5-for-27, Suzuki 9-for-35.

SERIES: The Mariners lead 5-1, though all the games were in Seattle. Overall, the Mariners lead 50-31 and are 24-13 at the Trop.

[Last modified September 1, 2006, 02:04:15]