Seattle @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 18, 2015 ) Seattle 4, NY Yankees 3

The Seattle Mariners haven't won a series in more than two weeks, but they'll have their ace on the mound for the rubber match of a three-game road set with the New York Yankees on Sunday. Felix Hernandez will try to pitch the Mariners to their first series victory since taking two at San Diego from June 30-July 1.

The Mariners have the opportunity to take this set thanks to Robinson Cano, who hit a pair of home runs against his former team in Saturday's 4-3 victory — his first multi-homer game since leaving New York as a free agent following the 2013 season. Cano has 81 home runs in 406 games at Yankee Stadium, where he is a .312 career hitter. Hernandez also has fared well in the Bronx, where he is 5-1 with a 1.37 ERA in seven starts, though Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is 20-for-66 with four doubles and six homers against the ace. The Yankees will counter with CC Sabathia, who is 12-5 with a 2.65 ERA in 23 starts against Seattle.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), WPIX (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (11-5, 2.84 ERA) vs. Yankees LH CC Sabathia (4-8, 5.47)

Hernandez closed out the first half with an impressive performance against the Los Angeles Angels, allowing five hits over seven scoreless innings. The 29-year-old ace was tagged for eight runs in one-third of an inning at Houston on June 12 but has posted a 1.56 ERA in five starts since. Hernandez is 9-6 with a 3.26 ERA in 18 career starts against the Yankees, who touched him for seven runs in 4 2/3 innings in a loss on June 1 in Seattle.

Sabathia finished the first half on a positive note, holding Oakland to two runs in 5 1/3 innings to earn his first win since June 7. It was a nice rebound for the 34-year-old former ace, who had pitched to a 6.65 ERA over his previous four starts. Sabathia was managed to keep the Mariners in check on June 2 in Seattle, allowing two runs and nine hits over 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision as the Yankees claimed a 5-3 victory.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mariners 3B Kyle Seager is 14-for-31 with two homers during an eight-game hitting streak, but he is 1-for-13 with seven strikeouts versus Sabathia.

2. Yankees LF Brett Gardner is 11-for-32 during an eight-game hitting streak and is 10-for-29 versus Hernandez.

3. New York DH/3B Alex Rodriguez went 0-for-4 on Saturday and remains one hit behind Lou Brock (3,023) for 23rd place on the majors’ all-time list.

PREDICTION: Mariners 5, Yankees 2