(Sports Network) - The good news for Oakland is that the last time it won a series, it was facing Seattle, its opponent tonight in the opener of a four- game series at Safeco Field.

The bad news is that four-game series took place from July 7-10.

The Athletics have lost 11 straight series. They won the opener of their recent set with Minnesota, but went on to lose the final two games of the set. It marks the first time that the A's have dropped 11 consecutive series since moving to Oakland in 1968. The Athletics last lost 11 straight series from August 5-September 4, 1960 when the franchise was based in Kansas City.

Wednesday's 3-1 setback, in which Jack Cust had the lone RBI, dropped Oakland to 12 games under .500 (57-69) for the first time since it was 27-39 on June 17, 2005. Oakland is an MLB-worst 6-25 since the All-Star break and has not won back-to-back games since July 10, a span of 33 contests.

Seattle hasn't been much better since the All-Star break, either, going just 9-22. The Mariners have won one of their last 12 series and are only 46-80 on the season.

The M's enter this series on a six-game losing streak, as they fell in Chicago, 15-3, on Wednesday to end an eight-game road trip with just one win. Ichiro Suzuki was 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored in defeat, while Raul Ibanez connected for his 20th homer and drove in all three Seattle runs.

The Mariners send Ryan Rowland-Smith to the hill tonight. The lefty is 2-1 with two saves and a 3.30 earned run average in 35 relief outings this year, but has a 6.05 ERA without a decision in four starts in 2008, the first four of his career.

He faced the Twins on Saturday and gave up five runs on 10 hits over five innings. The 25-year-old Rowland-Smith has allowed three runs over 2 1/3 innings in two outings of relief versus Oakland this year.

The A's counter with Greg Smith, who has been a victim of his team's lackluster offense this year. He is 0-6 over his last eight starts with a 4.98 ERA, but has given up just five runs over his past three starts. Also, the Athletics have failed to score more than three runs in any of his last six outings.

The 24-year-old lefty lost to the White Sox on Saturday despite giving up just two runs on eight hits in a 2-1 setback. On the season, Smith is 5-12 with a solid 3.91 ERA.

The rookie faced Seattle for the first time on July 10 and got a no-decision despite six shutout innings.

Oakland has won five of nine versus Seattle this year, taking two of three in the Emerald City from April 25-27.