The Los Angeles Angels and the Seattle Mariners are on totally different paths right now. The Angels have been scoring lots in their latest games while Seattle has failed to score over two runs in four of their last six games.
If you have an affinity for teams from Seattle, check out our defending Super Bowl champs Seattle Seahawks 2014 NFL Season preview here. In the meantime, set your sights here as the Seattle Mariners meet the Los Angeles Angels.
This game has the chance of being a potential blowout as the Angels go on another high-scoring rampage. However, Seattle is playing well, having just beaten the MLB-best Oakland A’s. Who will start their post-All-Star Break push off right? Read on for everything you need to know about this big return to baseball action.
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Seattle Mariners vs. Los Angeles Angels, Major League Baseball, Betting Preview and Prediction
The Seattle Mariners are fresh off a series win over the Oakland Athletics, in which they outscored the majors-leading A’s 10-8 in three games. However, they only managed to hit 6-for-32 in the series finale.
[sc:MLB240banner ]Speaking of more batting issues, Seattle’s top batter Robinson Cano is on a seven-game hitting streak but has only hit .167 against Los Angeles pitcher Jered Weaver this season. Another batter on a seven-game hitting streak, James Jones, won’t be of much use against Los Angeles having been left hitless by the Angels’ pitcher this year.
Out of Seattle’s batters, only Dustin Ackley and Nick Franklin have had success against Weaver. This season, Ackley has gone 2-for-5 against the pitcher, but is on a recent slump hitting 2-for-15 in his last five outings. On the other hand, Franklin is on a four-game hitless streak but has batted 2-for-3 against Weaver for the year.
Seattle will be starting Hisashi Iwakuma (8-4, 2.98 ERA) on Friday. Iwakuma is on a three-game winning streak and has only surrendered four runs over the streak. The Seattle starter has limited the Angels’ batters to hitting .198 in his career.
The Seattle Mariners are 2-3 over their last five games.
Betting on Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are on a roll, winning their last five games. They outscored their competition 41-22 over that five-game stretch.
Josh Hamilton, Mike Trout and Howie Kendrick are just some of the names who contributed to the Angels’ last outing, a 10-7 win over the Texas Rangers. Hamilton and Trout are on their respective five and six-game hitting streaks to contribute to the Angels’ outburst in scoring. Kendrick has also contributed with three homers over the five-game streak.
Hamilton has only hit 2-for-12 in his career against Seattle’s Iwakuma but has a homer to go with the hits. Kendrick, on the other hand, has batted .313 in his career against the Seattle starter and will have a chance to hit another homer for his team, come Friday night.
The Los Angeles Angels will start Jered Weaver (10-6, 3.45 ERA) on the mound. The Angels are undefeated over Weaver’s last five starts with the pitcher picking up three wins to add to his record. Weaver has struck out 21 over his last three starts while allowing nine runs.
Writer’s Prediction
The Angels will add another win to draw them closer to the top of AL West.
