Angels-Mariners Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (20-18) at Seattle (18-22), 10:10 p.m. EDT

Ervin Santana pitched well in his long-awaited season debut. He's usually done the same when he faces the Seattle Mariners.

Looking to help the Los Angeles Angels record a third straight victory, Santana hopes to build off that outing while trying to continue his success against the Mariners on Wednesday night at Safeco Field.

After missing the first six weeks of the season due to a sprained elbow, Santana (0-0, 5.40 ERA) allowed three runs and seven hits while striking out five and walking three in five innings of a 5-4, 12-inning victory over Boston on Thursday.

The right-hander, who went 16-7 with a 3.49 ERA and made the All-Star team last season, threw 92 pitches. That's a good sign for an Angels' starting rotation that also welcomed back ace John Lackey (right elbow inflammation) from the disabled list last week.

"(Santana) pitched well," manager Mike Scioscia told the Angels' official Web site. "As his mechanics come together, he'll be more efficient with his pitches."

Santana has been very efficient while going 6-0 with a 3.26 ERA in his last 10 starts versus the Mariners after losing the first two of his career against them. He went 3-0 with a 2.19 ERA in five starts versus Seattle in 2008.

Los Angeles (20-18) was swept in a three-game set at Texas to open a 10-game road swing but has won the first two of this four-game series after beating the Mariners 6-5 on Tuesday.

The Angels have won three straight over Seattle (18-22) to even the season series at four wins apiece.

On Tuesday, Bobby Abreu had three hits with two RBIs for the Angels (20-18), who have scored 16 runs in two games after totaling 11 against the Rangers. Abreu is batting .394 (13 for 33) with five RBIs against Seattle this season.

Torii Hunter drove in a run Tuesday for Los Angeles, and he's 12 for 30 with 10 RBIs in his last eight contests.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 615th career homer while Ichiro Suzuki doubled and drove in a run to extend his hitting streak to 13 games for the Mariners, who have lost 16 of 22.

Seattle committed its 34th error and allowed the Angels to steal a season-high five bases.

"These are the little fundamental things that we've talked about that we have to do better," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said.

Suzuki is hitting .362 (21 for 58) during his streak and .353 (12 for 34) with five RBIs against the Angels this season. However, he's a .222 (8 for 36) career hitter against Santana.

Slumping slugger Adrian Beltre went 0 for 4 one day after Wakamatsu rested him. Mired in an 0-for-17 slump, Beltre is batting .205 overall and 3 for 29 against the Angels this season.

Rookie Chris Jakubauskas (2-4, 7.13) looks to build off his first career win as a starter when he takes the ball for the Mariners.

The 30-year-old former shoe salesman and Anaheim native allowed four runs - three earned - in the first three innings, but didn't yield any after that and completed six innings in a 5-4 win over Boston on Friday.

"It was a big-time gut check for me," Jakubauskas told the Mariners' official Web site.

The right-hander, who began the season in the bullpen, gave up two runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 5-1 home loss to the Angels on April 16 in his first major league start.