Seattle @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 10, 2012 ) Seattle 5, LA Angels 6

Dan Haren pitched one of the top games of his career earlier this season against Seattle and attempts to continue his success against the club when the Los Angeles Angels host the Mariners in Saturday’s second contest of a three-game series. Haren struck out a career-high 14 while tossing a four-hit shutout against Seattle on May 24. Haren is 11-5 with a 2.43 ERA in 20 career starts against the Mariners, who are 1-6 on their road trip.

Angels outfielder Mike Trout hit his 21st homer of the season in the series opener and matched his career high of five RBIs, which also came against the Mariners in August of last season. Trout hit a three-run homer and added a rare two-run sacrifice fly. Los Angeles trails the first-place Texas Rangers by six games in the American League West and sits one game behind wild-card co-leaders Baltimore and Detroit as part of a five-team pack that includes Oakland and Tampa Bay, both just a half-game off the pace. Seattle has lost five consecutive games, the latest loss coming after ace Felix Hernandez was staked to a 5-0 lead.

TV: 9:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), Fox Sports West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (2-3, 4.20 ERA) vs. Angels RH Dan Haren (8-8, 4.44)

Iwakuma has won just one of his six starts and the victory came when he struck out a career-best 13 in eight innings against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 30. He lost to the New York Yankees in his follow-up outing when he gave up four runs – three earned – and seven hits in five innings. Iwakuma threw three shutout innings of relief on June 5 in his lone appearance against the Angels.

Haren is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in three starts since coming off the disabled list due to back issues. He took a no-decision against the Chicago White Sox in his last start when he gave up one run and four hits in six innings. Haren is just 4-5 with a 4.12 ERA in 11 home starts this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Seattle’s John Jaso hit a three-run homer in the opener and is batting .359 in 20 career games against the Angels.

2. Angels 1B Albert Pujols is just 2-for-19 over the last five games after hitting six homers over the previous five contests.

3. Mariners C Miguel Olivo is hitless in 15 career at-bats against Haren.