(Sports Network) - Justin Duchscherer tries to lower his major league-leading earned run average this evening when the Oakland Athletics continue their four-game series with the Seattle Mariners at McAfee Coliseum.

Duchscherer, who was named to his second All-Star Game on Sunday, has been incredible for the A's this season, going 9-5, while pitching to an unbelievable 1.96 ERA and holding batters to a .198 clip, which is also tied for the league lead.

Over his last five starts Duchscherer is 5-1, serving up just eight runs in those outings, spanning 43 1/3 frames. His latest win came on Thursday against Chicago, as he held the White Sox to two runs and five hits in seven innings.

Duchscherer, also an All-Star in 2005, has struggled, though, in his career against the M's, posting an 0-5 mark with a 4.17 ERA in 30 games, just three of which have been starts.

Seattle will counter with righty Carlos Silva, who has been brutal this season. Silva lost for the 10th time in his last 11 decisions on Thursday against Detroit, as he allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings, dropping him to 4-10 on the season to go along with a 5.85 ERA.

Silva had one of his best outings of the year in beating the A's back on April 17 and is 4-2 lifetime against them with a 2.92 ERA in 10 games (nine starts). He allowed a run and four hits in seven innings to get the win earlier in the year against them.

In the opener of this set on Monday, Wes Bankston belted his first career homer and Ryan Sweeney singled in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning, as Oakland finally broke a home jinx against the Mariners by holding on for a 4-3 win.

Mark Ellis singled in the other run for the Athletics, who snapped a two-game overall skid and eight-game home slide versus the Mariners. Seattle had won both of its contests in Oakland this season and had captured 10 of 11 at McAfee Coliseum since the start of last season.

Dana Eveland (7-5) allowed nine hits, including a three-run first-inning homer to Richie Sexson, and walked four over 5 1/3 innings to win his third consecutive decision.

Huston Street worked out of trouble in the ninth inning to record his 17th save to close out the opener of the four-game series.

Jarrod Washburn (4-8) went the distance for the Mariners, surrendering seven hits and recording five strikeouts, but had his five-start unbeaten streak come to an end.

Adrian Beltre had four hits for Seattle, which dropped a 2-1 home game to Detroit in 15 innings on Sunday.

These teams have split six matchups this season.