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The Seattle Mariners are mired in the longest losing streak in their 35-year history.
Little suggests they'll be able to end their skid as they open a series in the Bronx.
The sputtering Mariners try to avoid a 16th straight loss Monday night when they face a New York Yankees team looking to become the second AL club to 60 wins.
With Sunday's 12-8 loss in Boston, Seattle (43-58) dropped its 15th consecutive game for the first time in franchise history. The Mariners, who were 2 1/2 games out of first place in the AL West before their skid began July 6, lost 14 straight in 1992.
"This is definitely frustrating,'' shortstop Brendan Ryan said. "There aren't too many laughs now. There shouldn't be."
The Mariners took two of three from the Yankees in Seattle in May, but haven't fared as well in the Bronx, losing 13 of 17 there. New York (59-40) is also an AL-best 15-4 at home since June 10, while the Mariners have lost 11 in a row away from Safeco Field.
Seattle is showing some signs of life offensively, plating 29 runs and batting .284 in its last six games after totaling 11 runs while hitting .179 in the previous nine. Ryan hit a grand slam and drove in five runs Sunday, and is batting .414 with two homers and seven runs in the last six contests.
Ryan and the Mariners could have trouble continuing that success against scheduled Yankees starter Freddy Garcia (8-7, 3.21 ERA), who has yielded two runs or fewer in four of his last five starts.
Garcia scattered eight hits, struck out seven and walked none in 6 2-3 innings of Wednesday's 4-0 win over Tampa Bay. The right-hander improved to 4-2 with a 2.38 ERA in seven starts since June 12.
Garcia, who played for the Mariners from 1999-2004, is 3-0 with a 4.13 ERA in his last five starts against his former team.
Probable Seattle starter Jason Vargas (6-8, 3.94), meanwhile, might have some problems against the Yankees' vaunted lineup, especially Robinson Cano. The All-Star second baseman is 8 for 12 with a pair of doubles in his career off Vargas, and is batting 397 with three home runs, six doubles and 18 RBIs in his last 16 home games against the Mariners.
Vargas has been tagged for 10 runs and 18 hits over nine innings while losing his two starts since the All-Star break. He permitted five runs and six hits and issued a career high-tying five walks in three innings of Wednesday's 11-6 loss to Toronto.
Second-half struggles continue to plague the left-hander. Since 2009, Vargas is 15-13 with a 3.41 ERA in 48 games before the Midsummer Classic, but is 3-13 with a 5.68 ERA in 29 outings after the break.
He's also lost his last two starts against the Yankees while surrendering 13 runs over 9 1-3 innings.
New York's Curtis Granderson hit his team-leading 27th homer in Sunday's 4-2 win over Oakland, yet could have trouble adding to that total in this series. He is 4 for 8 lifetime against Vargas, but has gone 30 straight homerless games against the Mariners.
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