The Rangers will look to Vicente Padilla on Wednesday to deliver another strong start as they continue their four-game set at Safeco Field against Erik Bedard and the Seattle Mariners.

Texas (14-20) was just 7-16 on April 24 after losing its seventh straight and 12th in 14 games. The Rangers had allowed 80 runs during the seven-game skid, and the pitching staff seemed well on its way to cementing its reputation as baseball's worst.

They still have allowed more runs (195) than anyone in baseball, but lately there's been signs of some significant improvement. Texas has won five of its last seven and has a 2.60 ERA over its last six games.

The lone poor performance in that stretch was in the series opener against the Mariners, allowing all seven runs of a 7-3 loss in the first three innings.

But Sidney Ponson got Texas' staff back on track Tuesday, allowing one run over seven innings, and the Rangers used a seven-run third - highlighted by Hamilton's three-run homer - to blow open the game en route to a 10-1 win.

Ponson, who hasn't pitched effectively on a consistent basis since he was with Baltimore in 2003, is 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in three starts.

"I told him this could be his last opportunity, to take advantage of it. He's doing that," manager Ron Washington said.

Hamilton, acquired from Cincinnati in the offseason, leads the majors with 36 RBIs after having just 47 in 2007 with the Reds. He was named the AL player of the month in April, but after a 1-for-15 slide over four games, sat out Monday's series opener.

"I don't think the day off had anything to do with it. The guy can flat-out play," said shortstop Michael Young, who also had three RBIs on Tuesday. "I had no idea he'd be like this."

The offense hasn't needed to do much the last two times Padilla (4-2, 3.50 ERA) has been on the mound. He's gone 14 2-3 innings in his last two starts and has given up just one earned run.

Padilla pitched six innings while allowing one run on April 1 - his last start at Safeco - but didn't get a decision in Seattle's 5-4 win.

The Mariners (14-20) aren't just having trouble on the field - they've lost six of seven games - but they're also having trouble drawing fans. Just 15,818 showed up on Tuesday, the smallest crowd in the stadium's 10-year history.

Residents of the "Emerald City" may get a better chance at seeing a quality start on Wednesday when Bedard (2-1, 1.82) takes the mound. Seattle's key offseason acquisition has looked good since coming off the disabled list, posting a 0.66 ERA in two starts.

He allowed three runs - one earned - in seven strong innings of a 5-1 loss at New York on Friday.

"Erik threw the ball well and battled with them," catcher Jamie Burke told the team's official Web site. "He went out there and did what he could do."

Bedard is 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA in his last four starts against the Rangers.

Seattle is still looking for more production from leadoff hitter Ichiro Suzuki, and it seems like he might be coming around. Suzuki, a .333 hitter heading into 2008, has hit .435 (10-for-23) in May to raise his average to .282.

He has dominated Padilla, going 15-for-26 (.577) lifetime against the Rangers' right-hander.