Angels at Mariners
The red-hot Seattle Mariners begin a trying 13-game stretch against some of the best teams in the American League when they host the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night for the first of three contests. The first-place Mariners, who also play Boston and the New York Yankees over the next two weeks, have won 17 of their last 22 contests to lead Houston by percentage points in the AL West after edging Tampa Bay 5-4 on Sunday.
Nelson Cruz has homered in back-to-back games and three in his last five outings for Seattle, while teammate Kyle Seager had a two-run blast to break a tie Sunday as the Mariners rallied from an early 3-1 deficit. Rejuvenated veteran Wade LeBlanc gets the start in the series opener for Seattle and Los Angeles counters with fellow left-hander Andrew Heaney, who is coming off the best outing of his career. The Angels saw their six-game winning streak come to an end Sunday with a 7-5 loss at Minnesota after leaving 10 runners on base but has won 10 of their last 15 contests at Seattle. Former MVP Mike Trout, who is just 1-for-15 with six strikeouts over his last four games for Los Angeles, has punished the Mariners this season with nine hits in 14 at-bats.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Andrew Heaney (3-4, 3.12 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Wade LeBlanc (1-0, 2.94)
Heaney registered the first complete game of his career after limiting Kansas City to one hit and one walk Tuesday for his first victory in four outings. The 27-year-old Oklahoma State product yielded two or fewer earned runs for the seventh time in eight appearances and has issued no more than one walk five times in the same span. Mitch Haniger is 2-for-2 with a homer versus Heaney, who is 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA in three career starts against Seattle.
LeBlanc has prospered since joining the rotation, allowing two or fewer runs in six of seven starts while managing just one victory in that stretch. The 33-year-old Louisiana native gave up three runs on seven hits and three walks across four innings in a no-decision Wednesday at Houston. LeBlanc, who will make his first career appearance versus the Angels, has handled Justin Upton (2-for-22) but struggled against Ian Kinsler (2-for-4, double).
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles 1B/DH Albert Pujols is three behind David Ortiz (632) for 10th on major league baseball’s all-time doubles list.
2. Seattle OF Denard Span has hit safely in six straight games and is 12-for-38 since being acquired from Tampa Bay.
3. Kinsler is 8-for-17 during a four-game hitting streak with three of his six homers on the season during the stretch.