Mariners at Indians
The Seattle Mariners have seen their pitching regain its form after being taken to task earlier in the week in a lopsided loss. Winners of three in a row, the visiting Mariners look to add to the Cleveland Indians' troubles at Progressive Field on Saturday when the clubs play the second contest of their three-game series.
Seattle answered a 19-9 shellacking by Detroit on Tuesday by outscoring the opposition 13-2 over the last three contests, highlighted by registering a season-high 14 strikeouts in a 3-1 series-opening victory over Cleveland. A key injury notwithstanding, the Mariners' pitching staff will look to keep rolling as veteran right-hander Yovani Gallardo will face the Indians for the first time in nearly eight years. While Seattle improved to 4-4 on their 10-game road trip, Cleveland fell to 4-6 at home after going 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position on Friday to drop to 5-for-28 through the first four contests of its six-game homestand. Jose Ramirez belted his team high-tying sixth homer to extend his hitting streak, during which he is 9-for-24 with two blasts and three RBIs.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Yovani Gallardo (1-2, 4.84 ERA) vs. Indians RH Danny Salazar (1-2, 4.37)
Gallardo answered three mediocre starts with a stellar one on Sunday, allowing one run on four hits while striking out seven in 6 1/3 innings of an 11-1 rout of Oakland. The 31-year-old offseason acquisition recorded the win in his lone career outing versus Cleveland in 2009 by overcoming six walks to permit two runs in five frames while pitching for Milwaukee. Gallardo has limited experience against the Indians' lineup, however Edwin Encarnacion has had his number to the tune of batting .348 with three homers in 23 career regular-season at-bats.
Salazar continues to rack up strikeouts, although winning decisions have been hard to come by for the 27-year-old Dominican. Salazar struck out nine to raise his season total to 36 and an MLB-best 14.29 per nine innings in Sunday's 6-2 setback at the Chicago White Sox. Salazar has kept the Mariners in check with a .159 batting average in two career starts (12 1/3 innings), however he has just an 0-1 mark with a 3.65 ERA to show for it.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle SS Jean Segura has hit safely in four straight contests and owns three-hit performances in three of his last seven outings.
2. Cleveland SS Francisco Lindor is 4-for-10 with three extra-base hits, two RBIs and three runs scored during his last three games.
3. The Mariners announced ace RHP Felix Hernandez (bursitis in right shoulder) and promising rookie RF Mitch Haniger (Grade 2 strain of right oblique muscle) will be sidelined three to four weeks.