(My Sportsbook) - Erik Bedard hopes to continue his hot start to the season this evening when the
Seattle Mariners play the middle test of their three- game series with the
Detroit Tigers at Safeco Field.
After spending most of his first season with Seattle on the disabled list, Bedard has been terrific in his first two starts this year. He picked up his first win of the season on Sunday in Oakland, as he surrendered three hits over 8 1/3 scoreless innings of his team's 1-0 win.
Bedard, who was 6-4 in 15 starts last season before shutting it down for good in early July with a shoulder injury, has allowed just three runs in 13 1/3 innings this season and has struck out 15 batters.
The 30-year-old left-hander has faced the Tigers three times over the course of his injury-plagued career and has posted a 1-1 mark against them with a 6.32 ERA.
Detroit will counter with righty Edwin Jackson, who is still searching for his first win with the Tigers. Jackson, picked up from Tampa Bay this offseason for outfielder Matt Joyce, received his second straight no-decision on Sunday against Texas, as he allowed four runs and five hits in six innings of his team's 6-4 win.
Jackson, though, is a perfect 2-0 against the Mariners, while pitching to a splendid 0.60 ERA in those outings.
Seattle continued to find ways to win in the opener of this set on Friday, as Adrian Beltre doubled twice and knocked in a run, as the Mariners used a five- run fifth inning to pull out a 6-3 win.
Felix Hernandez (2-0) was credited with the win after allowing three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in six innings for Seattle, which improved to 8-3 on the young season.
Ichiro Suzuki singled in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning off Justin Verlander (0-2), who struck out eight in 7 1/3 innings, allowing six runs -- five earned -- on eighth hits to take the tough loss.
Miguel Cabrera had three hits and Brandon Inge knocked in a pair for the Tigers, who opened a nine-game road trip with their second loss in three games.
Detroit was 7-3 against the Mariners last season, but won just four of the seven games played in Seattle.
