Mariners at Indians
The Seattle Mariners' pitching staff spent most of the past week getting bludgeoned by the Texas Rangers and the Chicago Cubs without receiving much help from the offense. The Mariners will try to turn things around on the road when they begin a 10-game road trip by visiting the Cleveland Indians on Friday.
Seattle, which also visits the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox on the road trip, dropped its last four games by a combined score of 46-7, capped by Wednesday's 11-0 loss to the Cubs. "We've had a number of guys who've cooled off," Mariners manager Scott Servais told reporters. "They were going great for a long time, really up and down the lineup. That's going to happen. You have to find other ways to stay in ballgames and win ballgames. It's just not happening here at home right now. We have a day off tomorrow and then go on a challenging road trip. We have to swing the bats better." The Indians have their own problems on offense and watched the team batting average drop to an American League-worst .215 after a 4-2 loss at Miami on Wednesday. Seattle will try to find some support on Friday for left-hander Yusei Kikuchi while the Indians counter with righty Shane Bieber.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), STO (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Yusei Kikuchi (1-1, 4.54 ERA) vs. Indians RH Shane Bieber (2-1, 3.68)
Kikuchi pitched one inning against Texas last Friday as Seattle watches his workload in his first major league season. The 27-year-old Japan native was coming off his worst start, in which he allowed four runs and 10 hits over five innings at the Los Angeles Angels but managed to escape with his first win. Kikuchi turned in a quality start at home against Cleveland on April 15, yielding three runs and five hits across six innings before suffering the loss.
Bieber was reached for three runs on as many hits over six innings at Houston last Saturday but did not factor in the decision in a game the Indians went on to lose 4-3. The 23-year-old was bouncing back after allowing seven runs - five earned - over 2 1/3 innings against Atlanta in his previous outing. Bieber took on Seattle on April 16 and breezed through six frames, surrendering one run and four hits to earn a win.
WALK-OFFS
1. Indians RHP Corey Kluber suffered a fractured right forearm when he was hit by a line drive on Wednesday.
2. Seattle RF Mitch Haniger is 1-for-21 over the last six games.
3. Cleveland 2B Jason Kipnis is 2-for-29 over his last eight contests.