The Oakland Athletics will finish in last place in the American League West this season. However, there is some reason for optimism in the Bay Area.

A big reason for the high hopes heading into next season takes the hill this evening when Brett Anderson puts the finishing touches on an impressive rookie campaign, as the Athletics try and avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.

Anderson won his fourth straight start last Thursday against Texas, holding the Rangers to three runs (one earned) and six hits in 5 2/3 innings, upping his record to 11-10 on the season to go along with a 4.12 earned run average.

He also has 142 strikeouts, moving him past Rick Langford for most by a rookie in Oakland history.

The 21-year-old left-hander has faced the Mariners four times this season and is 2-1 in those outings with a 3.75 ERA.

Anderson, though, will need a little more run support than fellow rookie Clay Mortensen received on Wednesday when Brandon Morrow silenced the A's bats in a 7-0 shutout.

Morrow (2-4) took the win after tossing a career-high eight innings and yielding one hit with two walks and a career-high nine punchouts.

"I'm feeling good with my mechanics. Tonight, I was throwing all my pitches for strikes and down and out of the zone when I needed to," Morrow said.

Ken Griffey, Jr. hit a three-run homer, while Adam Moore added a solo homer for the M's, who have won two straight on the heels of a three-game slide.

Mortensen (2-4) took the loss after getting roughed up for six runs on eight hits in only an inning-plus of work.

Rajai Davis and Landon Powell had a hit each to account for all the offense for the A's, who have dropped three in a row.

"Morrow threw the ball very well, he was real smooth, easy, 94, 96, he had pretty good command. He had control of his secondary pitches also. Their team gave him a big lead early and he pitched aggressively after that. He did what he's supposed to do when he had a big lead. He was very aggressive, used all his pitches, threw strikes and he beat us," Oakland manager Bob Geren said of Morrow.

Heading to the hill for Seattle tonight will be righty Doug Fister, who is 2-4 with a 4.50 ERA. Fister lost his third straight start on Friday in Toronto, as the Blue Jays reached him for four runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Fister did not get a decision in his only other start against the A's, despite surrendering a run and six hits in five innings of that one.

Seattle has won 13 of its 18 matchups with the Athletics this season.