Seattle @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 2, 2012 ) LA Angels 1, Seattle 2

How the Los Angeles Angels perform against the Seattle Mariners may determine whether the Angels can land a playoff berth. The Angels open a three-game series against visiting Seattle on Tuesday in the first of six games against the Mariners over the regular season’s final nine days. One of the wild card teams the Angels are attempting to chase down is the Oakland Athletics, who began a stretch Monday of seven games in 10 days against the Texas Rangers. The Angels are two games behind Oakland.

The Angels have won three consecutive games and 22 of their last 31. First baseman Albert Pujols had two RBIs in Sunday’s victory over the Chicago White Sox to raise his season output to 101, marking the 11th 100-RBI season for Pujols. Seattle has lost seven of 10 games despite taking two of three from the Rangers over the weekend. The Mariners have scored just 17 runs over their last seven contests. Los Angeles has won eight of the 13 meetings this season.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), Fox Sports West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Erasmo Ramirez (1-2, 3.28 ERA) vs. Angels RH Zack Greinke (5-2, 3.51)

Ramirez has been sensational in two September starts and has allowed four runs in 15 innings. He took a two-hit shutout into the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles in his last outing before receiving a no-decision while being charged with two runs and four hits. Ramirez has 39 strikeouts against just eight walks in 46 2/3 innings. He has never faced the Angels.

Greinke has won four straight decisions and has a 1.60 ERA over his last six starts. He took a no-decision against the Texas Rangers in his last outing when he allowed just one runs and five hits in eight innings. Grienke went 4-1 with a 2.27 ERA in 11 appearances (nine starts) against Seattle when he was a member of the Kansas City Royals.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Mariners are an anemic 1-for-39 with runners in scoring position over the last five games.

2. Angels OF Mike Trout is hitting .136 (3-for-22) over his last seven contests and is two runs scored away from matching Vladimir Guerrero’s franchise record of 124, set in 2004.

3. Seattle 1B Justin Smoak is batting .345 in September and his lifted his average from .190 on Aug. 31 to .209.