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Having lost four straight for the first time this season, the New York Yankees could really use another superb outing from Hiroki Kuroda.

The right-hander will try to end his team's skid in his first visit to the Seattle Mariners, who will attempt to build on a successful road trip Monday night.

New York started its West Coast road trip in miserable fashion by suffering its first four-game sweep since May 2003. Oakland posted four one-run wins in the series and scored the winning one in its final at-bat for the third straight game Sunday during a 5-4 win in 12 innings.

Rafael Soriano gave up Seth Smith's tying homer in the ninth for his first blown save in 16 chances and his second in 26 attempts this season. Cody Eppley then allowed Coco Crisp's game-ending single for his second loss in three days.

"It's tough to lose four games regardless of how it looks," captain Derek Jeter said. "We were playing pretty good coming in here but those guys have been playing good. They beat us four games. That's all you can say."

The Yankees (57-38) will try to avoid their longest losing streak since a six-game skid from May 11-16, 2011, with help from Kuroda (9-7, 3.46 ERA), who is seeking to match a career high by winning a fourth consecutive decision.

The right-hander is coming off his first shutout since his 2008 rookie campaign, a rain-shortened 6-0 win over Toronto on Wednesday. He gave up four hits and walked none over seven innings in New York's most recent victory after posting a 7.62 ERA over his two previous outings.

Kuroda, who won four straight starts from Aug. 14-30 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowed two solo homers over seven innings in his most recent matchup with the Mariners, a 6-2 win May 11 at Yankee Stadium. He's 7-3 with a 2.68 ERA in 11 home starts this season and 2-4 with a 4.66 ERA in eight on the road.

The Yankees won two of three during that home series with Seattle and split their six games at Safeco Field last season. They won two of three during the final of those two visits Sept. 12-14.

This time, New York and Kuroda will face a Mariners team that's coming off a 5-2 road trip. Seattle's hitters led the way during the first four games of that trek, batting .325 with 31 runs scored, but its pitchers helped secure back-to-back wins against Tampa Bay this weekend, allowing a combined two runs.

The Mariners (42-55) blanked the Rays over the final eight innings of a 2-1 win Sunday.

"A real good road trip," manager Eric Wedge said. "It's tough to win on the road. It's tough to win in general. The two losses we did have were walk-offs, so they were tight ballgames throughout."

Wedge's club, which has lost four of five at home, will start Kevin Millwood (3-7, 4.15), who is coming off one of his worst outings of the season. The veteran right-hander gave up seven runs and a season-high 10 hits over five innings in Kansas City on Wednesday but did not get a decision in an 8-7 defeat.

Seattle has lost in each of Millwood's last five starts, but he earned a 6-2 win in his last one against the Yankees on May 13 by allowing one run over seven innings.

Millwood and the rest of the Mariners staff likely won't have to face New York outfielder Nick Swisher, who is expected to miss the series due to a strained hip flexor.