Seattle @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2011 ) LA Angels 4, Seattle 3

THE STORY: Dan Haren had the misfortune of facing Felix Hernandez last Wednesday when he pitched brilliantly in defeat against the Seattle Mariners. The Los Angeles Angels right-hander has better luck on Monday when the Angels and Mariners open a three-game series in Anaheim. Haren draws rookie Anthony Vasquez in the opener with Hernandez not pitching until Tuesday’s second game of the series. Haren was four outs away from shutting out Seattle before giving up back-to-back singles. Scott Downs then entered and allowed the decisive two-run double to Mike Carp to hang the loss on Haren. Los Angeles trails first-place Texas by 3 1/2 games in the American League West. Seattle has lost four straight games and eight of its last 10.

TV: 9:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSW (Los Angeles).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Anthony Vasquez (1-1, 11.57 ERA) vs. Angels RH Dan Haren (13-8, 3.16 ERA)

Vasquez is making his third major-league start. He was pounded for eight runs (seven earned) and seven hits in four innings by the Angels last Tuesday and allowed two homers to Angels rookie Mike Trout. Vasquez defeated Cleveland in his August 23 debut despite allowing six runs (five earned) and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. He has given up 16 hits and four homers in just 9 1/3 innings.

Haren has lost two straight starts. Prior to the hard-luck loss to Seattle, Haren had a rough outing against Texas when he gave up seven runs (six earned) and 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. Haren has walked two or fewer batters in 19 consecutive starts and has issued just 28 free passes in 202 1/3 innings. Haren is 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA in four starts against the Mariners this season and is 9-5 with a 2.51 ERA in 18 career starts. Miguel Olivo is hitless in 12 career at-bats against Haren.

ABOUT THE ANGELS (76-64): Los Angeles is striving to do better at home than it did in last week’s series in Seattle when the teams split a four-game series. The Angels are just 22-23 against division foes while the first-place Rangers are 28-14. Bobby Abreu homered in Sunday’s 4-1 victory over Minnesota, his first since August 9. Abreu didn’t play Saturday and that ended the possibility of playing in 150 games this season. Abreu and Willie Mays are tied for the major-league record of 13 straight 150-game seasons. Shortstop Erick Aybar is batting .340 during a 14-game hitting streak after having two hits on Sunday.

ABOUT THE MARINERS (58-81): Ichiro Suzuki went 2-for-5 Sunday and needs 40 hits over the final 23 games to reach 200 hits for the 11th straight campaign. Dustin Ackley hit a two-run homer the loss to Oakland. The homer was his sixth of the season and his first since July 30. Ackley is batting .333 in 13 games against the Angels. Fellow rookie Kyle Seager went 2-for-4 on Sunday after being 2-for-19 over the previous six games. Franklin Gutierrez had two hits but strained his left oblique during an eighth-inning at-bat and could miss the rest of the season. Casper Wells was hit on the left elbow by a pitch and could return within a few days. Wells has just one hit in his last 35 at-bats.

FINAL PITCH: Haren has won fewer career games in September than any other month in his nine major-league seasons. Haren is 12-14 in 42 career September appearances, including 38 starts.