Seattle @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2012 ) Seattle 3, LA Angels 4

The Los Angeles Angels remain in hot pursuit of a wild-card spot and seek their sixth consecutive victory when they conclude a three-game series against the visiting Seattle Mariners on Thursday. Los Angeles has won 24 of its last 33 games but remains two games behind the Oakland Athletics in the chase for the AL’s second wild card. The Angels are a season-high 17 games above .500. Seattle has lost nine of 12 games.

Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak has three homers in the series and is the one Seattle player swinging a hot bat. Smoak is batting .450 with five homers over his last 11 games. While rookie Mike Trout is the Angels’ MVP candidate, veteran Torii Hunter has been the club’s best player down the stretch. Hunter had a game-tying single in the seventh and the game-winning single in the ninth during Wednesday’s victory, giving him 23 RBIs in 23 games in September. First baseman Albert Pujols has failed to homer in 11 consecutive contests and Trout has just four RBIs this month.

TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), Fox Sports West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (7-5, 3.41 ERA) vs. Angels RH Dan Haren (12-11, 4.35)

Iwakuma has beaten the Angels twice over the past six-plus weeks, including a dominating performance on Sept. 2 in which he allowed five over hits 7 1/3 shutout innings. He beat the Texas Rangers in his last outing when he gave up three runs and eight hits in seven innings. Iwakuma is 6-4 with a 2.77 ERA in 13 starts since the All-Star break.

Haren has won back-to-back starts and four of his last five. He defeated the Chicago White in his last start when he gave up two runs and six hits in six innings. Haren’s top outing of the season was May 24 against Seattle when he struck out a career-best 14 while tossing a four-hit shutout. He is 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in three starts against the Mariners this season. Haren is 12-6 with a 2.57 ERA in 22 career starts against Seattle.

WALK-OFFS

1. Seattle OF Michael Saunders will be in the lineup for the finale after missing the past two games due to the birth of his daughter.

2. Los Angeles INF Maicer Izturis was 0-for-20 as a pinch hitter this season before leading off the ninth with a single and eventually scoring the winning run on Hunter’s single.

3. Mariners 2B Dustin Ackley is batting .368 in 19 career at-bats against Haren.