(Sports Network) - Cleveland's current 10-game winning streak may be too little too late as far as a second straight playoff appearance is concerned. The optimistic Indians will try to stay on the winning track tonight, when they begin a three-game series versus the Seattle Mariners at Progressive Field.

Cleveland is riding its first 10-game winning streak since April of the 2002 season, and is also the first ballclub since the 2004 Tampa Bay Rays to win 10 in a row and drop 10 consecutive games in the same year. The Indians lost 10 straight from June 28-July 9 this season.

The Tribe has won four straight series and just swept the Detroit Tigers in three games at Comerica Park. In Wednesday's 9-7 victory over the Tigers, Kelly Shoppach and Shin-Soo Choo both finished with two-run homers and three hits to lead the way. Shoppach ended with three RBI and Grady Sizemore added a pair of RBI for the Indians, who are searching for their first 11-game winning streak since May 23-June 4 of the 1982 season.

Starter Fausto Carmona earned the win after giving up four runs on seven hits in six innings of work. The Indians hope Jeremy Sowers can rebound from a rough outing when he takes the ball on Friday night.

Sowers is 1-0 over his last four starts, with the Indians going 3-1 over that stretch. He did not post a decision the previous time out on August 23 at Texas, allowing seven runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings of an 8-7 win.

The left-handed Sowers is 2-0 with a solid 1.80 earned run average in three career starts against the Mariners. He hurled six decent innings for a win over Seattle on July 19 this season.

Seattle had a three-game winning streak come to an end in Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the Minnesota Twins in the finale of a three-game series at Safeco Field. Jose Lopez belted a two-run homer and Raul Ibanez added a solo shot for the Mariners, who will kick off a six-game road trip tonight.

In his third outing since being called up from the minors earlier this month, Ryan Feierabend surrendered three runs on eight hits in seven innings for the no-decision. Reliever Sean Green absorbed the defeat after giving up three runs in just one-third of an inning.

The Mariners will hand the ball to Felix Hernandez on Friday, and he is 8-8 with a 3.28 earned run average in 25 starts this season. Hernandez had been 0-2 in six starts before beating Oakland on August 24. In the 8-4 victory over the Athletics, Hernandez yielded three runs in six innings for the victory.

Hernandez, a right-hander, is 1-1 with a 4.18 ERA in four career starts against the Indians. He beat them with six strong innings of two-run ball on July 18.

Cleveland leads the 2008 season series with Seattle by a 4-2 count, and is 7-4 over the previous 11 matchups with the Mariners.