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(Sports Network) - The Baltimore Orioles will attempt to continue their early- season mastery of the Seattle Mariners when the two teams conclude a three- game series this evening at Safeco Field.

The Orioles have emerged victorious in five of their six encounters with the Mariners this month after posting a 3-2 decision in Wednesday's middle contest of this set. Nick Markakis put Baltimore on top with a tie-breaking solo home run in the top of the eighth inning, while Daniel Cabrera tossed eight sharp innings to help the O's win for the fourth time in their last six overall games.

Markakis socked the first pitch he saw from Ryan Rowland-Smith (0-1) to give Baltimore a 3-2 advantage, and Cabrera held the Mariners scoreless in the bottom of the eighth before ex-Mariner George Sherrill threw a shutout ninth to register his seventh save.

Cabrera (2-0) allowed just five hits and did not walk a batter while striking out five in his third consecutive quality start.

Markakis also drove in a run with a sixth-inning groundout, while Melvin Mora finished 2-for-4 with an RBI triple.

Mariners starter Carlos Silva permitted two runs on six hits over a solid six innings but did not factor in the decision.

Seattle, which had won five of seven coming in and handed the Orioles a 4-2 defeat on Tuesday, received two hits and an RBI from Raul Ibanez.

The Orioles swept a four-game series from the Mariners in Baltimore earlier this month and have had far greater success against Seattle than a year ago, when the club lost seven of nine meetings with tonight's opponent.

The Mariners had hoped to have Erik Bedard, the standout lefty acquired from the Orioles in an offseason trade, ready to pitch tonight's finale. However, he remains sidelined with inflammation in his left hip. Instead, Seattle will hand the ball to veteran Jarrod Washburn, who is coming off losses in each of his last two starts.

Washburn was reached for four runs and 10 hits through six innings in his most recent appearance, a 4-1 home loss to the Angels that dropped him to 1-3 on the season. His first defeat of the year came at the hands of the Orioles, who scored three times in five innings against Washburn in a 7-4 triumph on April 4.

The 33-year-old is 6-4 with a 4.52 earned run average in 13 lifetime games (12 starts) versus Baltimore.

The Orioles counter with erratic young lefty Adam Loewen, who is still in search of his first victory of 2008.

The former first-round pick has not pitched since April 16, when he was dealt a loss by the Chicago White Sox after surrendering three runs over six innings. Loewen walked five batters in that games and has issued 12 free passes in 15 2/3 innings over his first three 2008 starts.

Loewen also didn't fare particularly well in a matchup with Seattle on April 5. He lasted just 4 2/3 innings in that one and gave up four runs on four hits, including home runs to Jose Vidro and Jose Lopez, in a no-decision.

For his career, the native Canadian is 0-1 with 7.36 ERA in three games against Seattle, including a pair of starts.