Mariners at Rays
The hottest team in the American League, Tampa Bay returns home having won seven of its last eight, including a 5-2 victory in Texas on Sunday that handed the Rangers their first series loss. Seattle, meanwhile, has run hot and cold on its 10-game road trip, opening with four consecutive wins before losing its last two in Toronto over the weekend.
The lowest-scoring team in the majors last season, the Mariners have shown a little more punch at times in 2012 but have still been shut out four times while ranking near the bottom of the American League with a .239 batting average. Tampa Bay has not been statistically dominating, but has moved into a tie atop the AL East behind a balanced young offense and solid pitching at the front of the rotation from David Price and Monday’s starter, Jeremy Hellickson.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, SUN Sports (Tampa Bay), Fox Sports Houston (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (2-1, 2.48 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (3-0, 2.84 ERA)
With the exception of a tough outing April 7 at Oakland, Hernandez has again looked like one of the premier pitchers in the American League. He was 0-1 in two home starts despite allowing just two runs and striking out 18 in 15 innings of work, but the Mariners gave him plenty of run support in his last start, a 9-1 win at Detroit (7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K).
Hellickson tossed six strong innings in an April 25 win over Los Angeles, giving up one run and while scattering five hits and striking out five. He has been nearly unhittable at home, going 2-0 with a 0.61 ERA in his two starts at Tropicana Field, and just as tough in three career starts against the Mariners (3-0, 0.81 ERA). Seattle hitters are 13-for-67 (.194) against Hellickson.
WALK-OFFS
1. Hernandez is 3-2 with a 2.42 ERA in nine starts against the Rays, with 67 strikeouts in as many innings. Current Tampa Bay hitters are 22-for-135 (.163) against him with no home runs.
2. The Mariners are 5-1 in Hernandez’s last six road starts, while Tampa Bay has won five of Hellickson’s last six trips to the mound at home.
3. The Rays have been tough to beat at home, starting a major league-best 8-1 and winning 36 of their last 52 at Tropicana Field dating back to last season.