Los Angeles @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 27, 2012 ) Seattle 9, LA Angels 4

The Los Angeles Angels are in a precarious situation when they open a three-game series against the host Seattle Mariners on Monday. Los Angeles’ only remaining shot at the postseason is to sweep the Mariners and have the Texas Rangers sweep the Oakland Athletics to force a tiebreaker between the Angels and Athletics for the American League’s second wild card. Seattle has lost three straight and 10 of its last 13 games.

Los Angeles split a doubleheader with Texas on Sunday and rookie Mike Trout hit his 30th homer in the opener. Trout, 21, became the youngest player in major-league history to record a 30-30 season and is just two steals away from joining Eric Davis (1987) and Barry Bonds (1990) as the only players to ever have 30 homers and 50 steals in the same campaign. Seattle ace Felix Hernandez hasn’t won since Aug. 27 and has fallen as a contender for the American League Cy Young Award.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH C.J. Wilson (12-10, 3.86 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (13-8, 2.86)

Wilson has pitched a combined 13 innings over his last three starts while continuing a poor second half in which he's 3-6 over his last 17 outings. He gave up three runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings and wasn’t involved in the decision while being matched up against Hernandez on Wednesday. Wilson is 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in two starts against Seattle this season. He is 10-5 with a 3.94 ERA in 49 career appearances (12 starts) against the Mariners.

Hernandez received a no-decision against the Angels on Wednesday when he gave up two runs, five hits and struck out nine in six innings. He has pitched well in his last two outings after a three-start stretch in which he allowed 16 earned runs and 30 hits. Hernandez is just 6-11 with a 3.86 ERA in 29 career starts against the Angels. This season, he is 0-2 with a 5.13 ERA in four starts against Los Angeles.

WALK-OFFS

1. Los Angeles OF Torii Hunter went 7-for-9 in Sunday’s doubleheader and is batting .350 since the All-Star break.

2. Mariners OF Franklin Gutierrez injured his groin in Sunday’s loss to Oakland and has played just 40 games during an injury-plagued season.

3. Angels SS Erick Aybar (quadriceps) is day-to-day after being injured Sunday.