The San Diego Padres last won a series on the road more than a month ago.
It's been nearly as long since the Seattle Mariners have won a series -- anywhere.
Both struggling clubs, holding the worst records in their respective leagues, will try to end their droughts in the decisive game of a three-game series in Seattle on Sunday.
San Diego's only road series victory of the season came against the Los Angeles Dodgers from April 11-13. While the Padres (16-28) have struggled everywhere en route to the worst record in the majors, they've been especially bad on the road, losing 15 of their last 20 away from home.
The Mariners (17-27) have lost 13 of 17 overall, dropping eight consecutive series since sweeping Oakland in a two-game set on April 16-17. They haven't won a series at home since taking two of three against Anaheim in their second set of the season at Safeco Field.
But they've won two of their last three games, including Saturday's 4-2 victory over the Padres. Erik Bedard pitched eight innings, Adrian Beltre hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning and closer J.J. Putz earned the save, giving him two saves and a win in Seattle's last six games.
"I think this team is ready to break out," outfielder Raul Ibanez, who has an eight-game hitting streak, told his team's official Web site. "I think this is the time. I've actually felt that way for a few games. I feel like it's right there."
Putz, whose 40 saves and 1.38 ERA helped to anchor the Mariners' 88-win season last year, now has made five consecutive scoreless outings after blowing two of his first four save opportunities and landing on the disabled list with an ERA of 9.00.
"That's the kind of game plan we've had around here for a couple of years -- eight (innings) and pass the ball off to J.J.," Mariners manager John McLaren said. "It worked good tonight."
Felix Hernandez would like to duplicate that formula Sunday, but he'll have to rebound after dropping four consecutive starts for the first time in his career.
Hernandez (2-4, 3.38 ERA) gave up three runs in six innings Tuesday at Texas, but took the loss as he received minimal run support in a 5-2 defeat. He's only getting 2.79 runs of support per nine innings, which ranks as sixth-worst among major league starters.
He'll face Padres left-hander Shawn Estes, who is coming off his first win since the 2005 season. Estes (1-0, 2.57) made his first start since 2006 on Tuesday, allowing three runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs.
The 35-year-old Estes has pitched since 1995 and has 100 career wins, but he's never beaten the Mariners in three starts. He has battled all the way back from possible career-ending elbow surgery, starting the year in the minors before getting called up earlier this month.
"I didn't think I was going to make it back last year. I was going through a lot of pain in my elbow again," Estes said. "I came into spring training having to deal with the mental side of pitching again and having to make a team and having to swallow my pride a little bit and going back to Triple-A to get things right."
He'll hope to give San Diego a chance to win even though the Padres are last in the majors with 148 runs.