Los Angeles @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2011 ) LA Angels 1, Seattle 2

THE STORY: The Los Angeles Angels are finding it tough to beat the Seattle Mariners at a time when they need victories to make up ground on the Texas Rangers. The Angels are vying for a split of the four-game series with the lowly Mariners on Thursday after Seattle rallied for a 2-1 victory on Wednesday. Mike Carp delivered a two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth as Felix Hernandez beat Dan Haren in a classic pitcher’s duel. The Angels trail Texas by 3 1/2 games and are just 21-23 against American League West teams this season.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSW (Los Angeles), ROOT (Seattle).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Ervin Santana (10-9, 3.24 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Charlie Furbush (3-6, 4.87 ERA)

Santana is 7-1 over his last 11 starts and has pitched seven innings or more in 10 of them. He defeated Texas in his last outing when he gave up four runs and four hits in seven innings. Santana is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in three starts this season against Seattle. He is 10-5 with a 3.68 ERA in 23 career outings against the Mariners. Ichiro Suzuki is batting .356 in 73 career at-bats against Santana.

Furbush is making his seventh appearance and sixth start for Seattle since being acquired from Detroit. Furbush is 2-3 since joining the Mariners. He gave up four runs and six hits in five innings while losing to the Chicago White Sox in his last outing. Furbush lost to the Angels on July 4 when he was with the Tigers, charged with three runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.

ABOUT THE MARINERS (58-77): Carp has been the hitting hero twice in the series. In addition to Wednesday’s decisive double, he hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in Seattle’s 5-3 victory on Monday. Carp had 25 RBIs in August to match the club rookie record for RBIs in a month set in 1986 by Danny Tartabull. Carp is 4-for-10 against Santana. Ichiro went hitless in four at-bats Wednesday to end a 13-game hitting streak. Ichiro needs 46 hits over the final 27 games to record his 11th consecutive 200-hit season. Dustin Ackley is 6-for-10 in the first three games of the series. Seattle traded infielder Jack Wilson to Atlanta on Wednesday for a player to be named.

ABOUT THE ANGELS (73-63): Los Angeles has lost four of its last six games. The Angels have scored just four runs in their two losses in the series while putting up 13 in its one victory. Howie Kendrick singled in the Angels’ run on Wednesday and has 12 RBIs since Aug. 17. Kendrick didn’t have a single RBI over the first 16 days of the month. Shortstop Erick Aybar dropped down a two-out bunt single in the eighth to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Bobby Abreu struck out three times against Hernandez. Maicer Iztruis didn’t play against Hernandez despite having two hits in each of his last five starts. Alberto Callaspo drew the start and went 0-for-2 with a walk.

FINAL PITCH: Despite Seattle’s disappointing record, general manager Jack Zduriencik was given a contract extension. Zduriencik, who is finishing his third season as GM, signed a one-year extension with an option for 2013.