Even though the Mariners broke a 24-inning scoreless drought Friday, they'll still be looking to avoid their second five-game losing streak in the last 11 games when they continue their series with the visiting Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.

Washburn (2-4, 4.81 ERA) allowed three runs in six innings against Texas on Monday - an effort that would have earned him a loss in any other of Seattle's last nine games, but on Monday was good for a 7-3 victory.

The Mariners have lost nine of 10 overall, scoring two runs or fewer in eight of those games. They are averaging just 1.8 runs in nine games so far in May, and have managed just three total runs in their last four games.

"It's a very difficult time," Mariners manager John McLaren told his team's official Web site. "I've been in the big leagues 22 years, and I can't remember an offensive team I've been involved with that struggled as much as we have. With that said, we got to keep going. We're disappointed, but we're not quitting."

Chicago, which scored only nine total runs during an 0-6 road trip last week, can relate. Now, though, the White Sox (17-17) have won three of four to move within a game of Minnesota for first place in the AL Central.

Friday's 4-2 win over the Mariners also snapped their six-game road losing streak - a good sign at the start of a 10-game West Coast trip. The White Sox had lost five straight to the Mariners and six in a row at Safeco Field entering this series.

Seattle (14-23) is in far worse shape, now possessing the AL's worst record. The Mariners were shut out in their final two games against Texas this week - part of their longest scoreless streak in 20 years - and their two runs in Friday's loss provided little consolation.

"At this point, we are kind of in a worst-case scenario," Ichiro Suzuki said through an interpreter. "But in this situation, we must not think about punishing ourselves too much. At the same time, we can't think we are fine. ... So what's important is to find that balance in between somewhere."

First baseman Richie Sexson, perhaps now the face of Seattle's struggles after charging the mound and throwing his helmet at Rangers pitcher Kason Gabbard in Thursday's loss, went 0-for-4 again Friday, and has one hit in his last 19 at-bats.

Sexson is playing while appealing a six-game suspension for Thursday's incident.

White Sox starter Javier Vazquez (3-3, 3.30) will try to keep Seattle slumping while seeking his first win in four starts. Vazquez has been impressive in his last two outings, allowing just two runs and 12 hits in 15 2-3 innings while striking out 16. He is 0-1 over that span, though, after receiving only two runs of support.

Chicago seems to have eased some of its offensive struggles. Jim Thome homered for the first time in 14 games Friday, while Jermaine Dye went 2-for-3. Dye, a .426 (20-for-47) lifetime hitter off Washburn, is 7-for-13 with three home runs in his last four games.

Manager Ozzie Guillen has been shuffling the team's lineup, and outfielder Nick Swisher didn't play Friday as he tries to work his way out of a 3-for-28 slide. The White Sox are last in the AL with a .235 batting average.

"Hopefully, we start swinging the bats on this road trip," Guillen told his team's official Web site. "We have to."