Padres at Mariners
After faltering at home against one last-place team, the Seattle Mariners will try to right the ship versus another when they open a four-game, home-and-home interleague series with the visiting San Diego Padres on Monday. Following a 6-1 surge, the Mariners dropped three straight over the weekend - two by one run - against Minnesota and tumbled out of first place in the American League West.
Franklin Gutierrez was the one bright spot for Seattle during the sweep and is 8-for-20 with three home runs during a six-game hitting streak. The Padres dropped two of three at Arizona and are 1-5 on their eight-game road trip after suffering a 6-3 loss on Sunday. They give the ball in the opener to Andrew Cashner, who posted a quality start in his return from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday in San Francisco and will oppose fellow right-hander Nathan Karns. Following the two games in Seattle, the series will shift to San Diego for a pair of contests.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Andrew Cashner (2-4, 4.87 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Nathan Karns (4-1, 3.53)
Cashner has been charged with three earned runs or fewer in seven straight outings, but he has yet to last beyond six innings this season. The TCU product has recorded only two strikeouts over 11 innings in his last two appearances, and his loss to the Giants last week left him with a 13-27 record over the past three seasons. Cashner has posted a 3.18 ERA in 17 career interleague contests (10 starts) and a 3.60 mark over three previous meetings with Seattle.
Carns gave up three runs in five innings of a no-decision against Oakland on Tuesday, matching his shortest start of the season. He is averaging one strikeout per inning and has allowed one home run in his last four outings while opponents are hitting .238 against the 28-year-old. Carns, who never has faced San Diego, is 3-0 with a 4.44 ERA in five interleague starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle 2B Robinson Cano has reached safely in 27 straight games while batting .345.
2. Padres CF Jon Jay is 8-for-21 during his five-game hitting streak and has recorded a double in three consecutive contests.
3. The Mariners are in the midst of a stretch during which they will play three straight day games for the first time since June 7-9, 2014.