Angels at Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a season-high 19 games above .500, and their next quest is completing a three-game sweep of the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday afternoon. Seattle belted seven homers while winning the first two games of the series and has prevailed in 10 of its last 12 contests.
Ryon Healy has launched three homers in the series after going deep twice in Tuesday's 6-3 victory while Mitch Haniger also hit two blasts in the latest win. Los Angeles star Mike Trout has belted two homers in each of the first two games of the series and is 14-for-22 with five shots against the Mariners this season. Trout's 12th career multi-homer performance was his fourth at Safeco Field - a record for a visiting player - and increased his major league-leading total to 23 blasts. Seattle slugger Nelson Cruz hit a two-run homer in the series opener as the teams have combined for 12 shots over the first two games.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, Facebook Watch
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Garrett Richards (4-4, 3.26 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Marco Gonzales (7-3, 3.28)
Richards is 0-3 over his last six turns despite posting a solid 2.53 ERA during the stretch. The 30-year-old last emerged victorious when he scattered four hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings against the Mariners on May 4 to improve to 6-4 with a 2.91 ERA in 19 career appearances (11 starts) versus the club. Richards settled for a no-decision against Minnesota in his last turn after giving up two runs and six hits over 5 1/3 frames.
Gonzales, who is looking to win his fifth consecutive start, has posted a stellar 0.81 ERA over his last five turns. The 26-year-old has allowed just 21 hits in 33 1/3 innings during a stretch that has established him as a solid member of the rotation. Gonzalez escaped with a no-decision against the Angels on May 5, when he yielded four runs and nine hits over six frames, and has registered a 4.40 ERA in three career starts versus Los Angeles.
WALK-OFFS
1. Trout, who is 3-for-6 with a homer against Gonzales, ranks third in Angels history with 224 career homers.
2. Mariners C Mike Zunino, who is 6-for-10 with a homer against Richards, was given Tuesday off after striking out five times in six at-bats over the previous two games and 19 times in 37 at-bats over his last 12 contests.
3. Los Angeles 2B Ian Kinsler is hitless in nine at-bats in the series and just 1-for-25 against Seattle this season.