#6: In 28 ABs, Mariners have no hits vs. Feliz

GAME: Mariners (3-2, 2nd AL West, 0.5 GB) at Rangers (3-1, 1st AL West, 0.5 GA). GAME #: 6. SERIES: 2nd of 4 games. MEETING (2012): 2nd (Rangers lead 1-0). WHEN: Tuesday, 5:05 p.m, PT, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. PROBABLE PITCHERS: RHP Blake Beavan (Seattle, 5-6, 4.27) vs. RHP Neftali Feliz (Texas, 2-3, 2.74). STREAKS: Mariners L 1; Rangers W 1. TV: ROOT Sports, MLB TV. RADIO: KIRO 710 (Seattle), Mariners Radio Network.

After blowing 4-0 and 5-2 leads and losing 11-5 to new AL West leader Texas Monday night, the Mariners will entrust RHP Blake Beavan, who grew up 10 minutes from the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, with the task of making certain they avoid their first losing streak of 2012 when they meet the Rangers.

“I can’t wait to actually pitch in Arlington for the first time,” Beavan said. “I’ll just try to keep the ball to left. Left field plays pretty good. Right field is a different story. Left-center, you’ve got to stroke it, but right field is like Arizona — the ball flies. Even if a guy mis-hits it but gets the barrel on it, it’s got a chance of going.”

Once considered the top prospect in the Rangers’ system, Beavan came to Seattle in the middle of the 2010 season in the Cliff Lee deal. Beaven will oppose Neftali Feliz, a converted reliever whose start Tuesday will be the first of his major league career. A closer look at Tuesday’s matchup:

MARINERS: RHP Blake Beavan (5-6, 4.27 ERA, 1.25 WHIP)

The 23-year-old Beavan, in his second major league season, and second with the Mariners, will be making his first start of the season and the third of his career against the Rangers.

A native of Irving, TX., the 6-7, 240-pound Beavan was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the first round (17th pick) of the 2007 amateur draft.

Beavan made his major league debut July 3, 2011, against the San Diego Padres. He worked 7 IP, allowed three hits, two walks and one earned run in a 3-1 Seattle victory at Safeco Field.

Beavan became a Mariner July 9, 2010, when the Rangers traded him, along with Matthew Lawson (minors), Josh Lueke and Justin Smoak to Seattle for Cliff Lee, Mark Lowe and cash.

Beavan, who appeared in 15 games for the Mariners in 2011, all starts, brings a career record of 5-6, 4.47 ERA and 1.247 WHIP into the game.

• 2012: Beavan made five spring training starts and posted a 1-1 record with a 3.48 ERA over 20.2 IP; allowed 19 hits and eight earned runs; foes hit .247 off him.
• LAST START: Pounded for seven earned runs on eight hits over 5 IP Sept. 27, 2011, in a 7-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics at Safeco Field; faced 25 batters, struck out four, walked two; gave up 2 home runs; got six ground-ball outs and 13 fly-ball outs.
• LAST VS. RANGERS: Defeated Texas 4-0 at Safeco Field Sept. 16, 2011, by allowing four hits over 8 IP; fanned three and didn’t walk a batter while throwing 95 pitches, 64 for strikes; marked his fifth and final victory of 2011.
• CAREER VS. RANGERS: Two starts, with a 1-1 record and 1.84 ERA over 14.2 innings; Beavan allowed 10 hits and three earned runs while facing 55 batters.
• AT RANGERS BALLPARK: Beavan has never pitched in the Rangers Ballpark at Arlington in a regular-season game.
• LOVES TO FACE: Elvis Andrus (1-for-6, .167 BA, 1 K), Josh Hamilton (1-for-6, .167 BA, 1 K), Ian Kinsler (1-for-6, .167 BA), Adrian Beltre (1-for-5, .200 BA, 1K).
• HATES TO FACE: Alberto Gonzalez (1-for-2, .500 BA), Mike Napoli (1-for-2, .500 BA, 1 BB, 1 HR), Nelson Cruz (1-for-3, .333 BA, 1 RBI).
• CURRENT RANGERS VS. BEAVAN: 9-for-51, .176 BA, .236 OBP, 1 HR.

RANGERS: RHP Neftali Feliz (2-3, 2.74, 0.95 WHIP)

The 23-year-old Feliz, in his fourth major league season, all with the Rangers, will be making his first start of his career. He pitched 15 games against Seattle as a reliever.

A native of the Dominican Republic, the 6-3, 215-pound Feliz was signed by the Atlanta Braves as an amateur free agent in 2005.

On July 31, 2007, the Braves traded Feliz with Beau Jones (minors), Elvis Andrus, Matt Harrison and Jarrod Saltalamacchia to the Rangers for Ron Mahay and Mark Teixeira.

After spending three years in the minor leagues, Feliz made his major league debut Aug. 3, 2009, working two innings of scoreless relief  in a 3-2 Texas loss to the Oakland Athletics. Feliz fanned four.

Feliz, an All-Star in 2010, worked strictly as a reliever during his first three major league seasons, appearing in 154 games with a 2.55 ERA covering 162.2 innings. He found a big role in the Texas bullpen the past two years, saving 40 games in 2010 and 32 more in 2011.

• 2011: Appeared in 64 games, all in relief, compiling a 2-3 record with a 2.74 ERA over 62.1 innings; 19 of the 22 runs he allowed were earned; averaged 7.8 K’s per 9.
• LAST APPEARANCE: Recorded his 32nd and final save of 2011 in a 3-1 Texas win over the Los Angeles Angels Sept. 28; allowed one hit and fanned two in 15 pitches.
• LAST VS. MARINERS: Recorded his 30th save in a 5-3 Rangers victory Sept. 23. 2011; worked 1 inning, did not allow a hit or a run and recorded a strikeout; threw 15 pitches, 8 for strikes.
• CAREER VS. MARINERS: Has appeared in 17 games, 15 of which he has finished; has a 2-0 record and a 0.00 ERA covering 16.0 innings; has 21 strikeouts and just four walks and averages 11.8 K’s per 9.
• AT RANGERS BALLPARK: 6-6 record and 3.50 ERA in 87 games, none of them starts, covering 90 innings; has struck out 79 of the 369 batters he’s faced.
• LOVES TO FACE: Frankly, Feliz loves to face Seattle’s entire roster, at least that part of that he’s seen. Fourteen current Mariners have faced Feliz and they are 0-for-28, led by Ichiro’s 0-for-4.
• HATES TO FACE: If Feliz “hates” any Seattle batters, they would be Mike Carp (injured) and Alex Liddi. Neither has a hit off Feliz, but he’s walked both twice.
• CURRENT MARINERS VS. FELIZ: 0-for-28, .000 BA, .152 OBP, 4 BB.

AL WEST STANDINGS

MARINERS / STATS NOTES

• Batting third in the Mariners’ order, Ichiro has scored four runs in Seattle’s first five games. Batting leadoff last year, Ichiro did not score his fourth run until the Mariners’ 10th game.
• Due to the 11 runs Monday, the Mariners have now been outscored through five games, 26-24.
• The Mariners — Hector Noesi (2), Erasmo Ramirez (1) and George Sherrill (1) — gave up four home runs in a game for the first time since Sept. 25, also at Texas.
• The Mariners, with 11 Monday, had double figures in base hits for the third consecutive game.
• Erasmo Ramirez made his MLB debut Monday, relieving Hector Noesi. Ramirez allowed one run, Josh Hamilton’s homer in the fourth inning.
• The Rangers and Mariners met 19 times in 2011, Texas taking 15 and outscoring Seattle 95-53.
• RHP Felix Hernandez celebrated his 26th birthday Sunday, Mariners’ off-day. Counting Saturday’s start at Oakland, Hernandez made 207 starts before turning age 26.
• Jesus Montero has started each of Seattle’s first four games at DH. The franchise record for starts by a rookie DH is 52, set by Juan Bernhardt in the Mariners inaugural year, 1977.
• 18 of the Mariners first 27 games 2012 are the road (and 28 of first 43). The Mariners will have logged eight road games before playing a game at Safeco Field.
• According to Stats Inc., the Mariners had an average age of 28.33 when the Opening Day rosters were set. That’s the second-youngest American League roster and the fourth-youngest in the majors.
• The Mariners roster features 7 rookies: RHP Steve Delabar, RHP Hisashi Iwakuma, LHP Lucas Luetge, RHP Erasmo Ramirez, C/ DH Jesus Montero, INF Alex Liddi & INF Munenori Kawasaki. Last season the Mariners used 18 rookies, and had a club-record 12 players make their MLB debut.
• According to The Associated Press, the Mariners feature the 18th-highest payroll in the majors, at just under $82 million. That’s down from just over $94 million in 2011. Of the $82 million, Felix Hernandez, Ichiro, Chone Figgins, Franklin Gutierrez and Brandon League take up slightly more than $58 million of that total (the Yankees have baseball’s top payroll for the 14th consecutive year, $198 million).
• Outfielders Mike Carp (shoulder) and Franklin Gutierrez (torn pectoral muscle) were to have been re-evaluated Monday.
• Munenori Kawasaki ‘s RBI single in the fourth inning Saturday was hit first major league hit. He replaced SS Brendan Ryan , a late scratch because of a stiff neck.
• LHP Lucas Luetge made his MLB debut Saturday night at Oakland, striking out the only batter he faced on three pitches (Josh Reddick)…according to STATS Inc, Lucas is the second Mariner going back to 1997 (when pitch-by-pitch data became readily available) to strike out the first batter faced in a MLB career on just three pitches. Michael Pineda struck out Ian Kinsler last season (4/5/11) in his MLB debut. Records also show that he is just the fourth pitcher since 1997 to record a strikeout on 3 pitches to the only batter faced in a debut (1 BF, 1 SO, 3 pitches
• Through five games, the Mariners are 14-for-29 (.370) with runners in scoring position.

MARINERS WON-LOSS BREAKDOWN

MARINERS BATTING PROFILE

MARINERS PITCHING PROFILE

PROBABLE PITCHERS

MARINERS 2012 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

March

April