Mariners at Indians
The Seattle Mariners owned the best record in the majors just over three weeks ago with 13 victories in their first 15 games while averaging almost eight runs per outing, but that seems like a distant memory at the moment. The Mariners are 5-14 since and look to halt a five-game losing streak to begin turning things around when they visit the Cleveland Indians on Saturday afternoon.
The Mariners allowed 46 runs in the first four games of their latest slide before suffering a walk-off 2-1 loss in the opener of the series Friday despite receiving multiple hits from Dee Gordon for the fourth time in his last six contests. Veteran Mike Leake takes the ball in Saturday’s contest for Seattle, while the Indians counter with fellow right-hander Carlos Carrasco, who tossed seven scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts in a victory over the Mariners on April 17. Cleveland, which is last in the American League with a .212 team batting average, got a boost to start a seven-game homestand with Friday’s win after dropping three of its previous four contests. The Indians managed just four hits in the victory and worked a pair of walks in the bottom of the ninth inning before the game-winning RBI single from pinch hitter Tyler Naquin, who is 7-for-13 with three RBIs during his six-game hitting streak.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), STO (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Mike Leake (2-3, 4.98 ERA) vs. Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (2-3, 5.86)
Leake is winless in his last four trips to the mound after allowing nine runs (five earned) on 10 hits over five innings in a 15-1 loss to Texas last Saturday. The 31-year-old Arizona State product started the season by giving up exactly two runs in three of four starts, including a loss to Cleveland on April 16 when he completed six innings. Leonys Martin is 6-for-11 versus Leake, who went 2-0 with a 4.15 ERA in two starts against Cleveland last season.
Carrasco permitted four runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts in Sunday's 4-1 loss at Houston after registering 11 scoreless frames in his previous two outings. The 32-year-old Venezuelan boasts 41 strikeouts and just seven walks across 27 2/3 innings overall but has allowed opponents to bat .295. Mitch Haniger is 2-for-5 with a homer against Carrasco, who is 5-3 with a 3.51 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) versus Seattle.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland 1B/DH Carlos Santana was hitless in three at-bats Friday but leads the team with a .314 batting average and 17 RBIs.
2. Haniger is just 2-for-25 with no homers and one RBI in his last seven games after going deep seven times with 18 RBIs over the first 26 contests of 2019.
3. Indians OF Carlos Gonzalez (.226 BA, two homers, five RBIs) needs one double to reach 300 in his career.