Mariners at Brewers
The Seattle Mariners look to complete a three-game series sweep and run their overall winning streak to four games when they visit the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday afternoon. Seattle has won six of its last seven contests while the slumping Brewers have lost seven of their last nine.
Milwaukee center fielder Lorenzo Cain likely will miss his fourth straight game after undergoing cryotherapy treatments and receiving a cortisone injection in his ailing right thumb earlier this week. "It got to the point where I was swinging and missing, and I was having problems," Cain told reporters of deciding to undergo the same treatment teammate Ryan Braun has endured several times over the last five years. "I talked to the trainers, and it was time to get something done. Hopefully, that gets the pain out of there." J.P. Crawford went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a triple and three RBIs in Seattle's 4-2 win on Wednesday and is a scalding 9-for-14 with a homer, two triples, two doubles, four runs and nine RBIs over his last three games. Mallex Smith went 2-for-5 and scored twice in the triumph and has gone 11-for-31 with 11 runs during his seven-game hitting streak.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Mike Leake (7-6, 4.54 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Chase Anderson (3-2, 4.70)
Leake is 4-0 over his last five starts and worked at least seven innings in each of the last four. The 31-year-old was torched for eight runs - seven earned - and 11 hits over 5 1/3 innings in his last turn but recorded the win as Seattle prevailed 10-9 against Baltimore. Leake is 5-5 with a 4.52 ERA in 15 career starts against the Brewers and has enjoyed success versus Christian Yelich (1-for-13), Yasmani Grandal (3-for-22) and Braun (6-for-28, one homer).
Anderson is 0-2 with a 7.11 ERA over his last four starts, pitching five innings or fewer three times during that span. The 31-year-old lost to Cincinnati in his last turn as he allowed six runs and five hits in five frames. Anderson gave up two runs in two innings of relief against the Mariners on Aug. 19, 2016 in his lone career appearance versus the club.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yelich is hitless in eight at-bats this series and 1-for-16 over his last four games overall.
2. Seattle 3B Kyle Seager (hand) was held out on Wednesday but is expected to be in the starting lineup for the finale.
3. Milwaukee LHP Gio Gonzalez (shoulder) experienced a setback during a throwing session and won't return until after the All-Star break.