Mariners at Angels
The Los Angeles Angels avoided a deflating loss in the opener and look to extend their winning streak to four games when they host the American League West-rival Seattle Mariners on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game series. Los Angeles watched an early three-run lead disappear on Friday before Kole Calhoun led off the 10th inning with his 12th home run of the season, giving the team a 4-3 triumph.
Calhoun also opened the scoring with a two-run double as he registered his third consecutive two-hit performance, going 6-for-14 with two homers and five RBIs in that span. Angels slugger Albert Pujols singled in the second inning on Friday for his 3,061st career hit, moving him past Craig Biggio for 24th place on the all-time list. Dee Gordon collected three of the nine hits recorded by the Mariners, who fell to 3-4 against the Angels this month. Gordon has hit safely in six of his last seven games and 16 of 19 contests overall in July.
TV: 9:07 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (8-8, 5.14 ERA) vs. Angels RH Jaime Barria (5-7, 3.80)
Hernandez has yielded three earned runs in each of his last four starts, winning the first two and losing the next two - including an outing against the Chicago White Sox last Saturday in which he gave up four runs overall in five innings. The 32-year-old Venezuelan has worked five frames or fewer in seven of his last 12 turns, including each of the last three. Hernandez fell to 16-17 with a 3.43 ERA in 52 career starts against the Angels after surrendering five runs on seven hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings on May 6.
Barria has gone 0-6 in seven starts since recording his last victory, a triumph over Texas on June 1 in which he scattered four hits over six scoreless innings. The 22-year-old Panamanian rookie worked five frames in a loss to the Chicago White Sox on Monday, when he yielded four runs on four hits and three walks. Barria has made three of his last seven starts against Seattle, losing all three despite allowing three runs or fewer in each outing.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners LHP James Paxton (back) threw a bullpen session before the series opener and is expected to be activated from the 10-day disabled list and start against Houston on Monday.
2. Los Angeles purchased the contract of Eric Young Jr. from Triple-A Salt Lake and optioned fellow OF Jabari Blash to the Bees.
3. Seattle acquired Sam Tuivailala from St. Louis for fellow RHP Seth Elledge, a Class A hurler.