Mariners at Angels
The All-Star break did nothing to slow down Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout, who has collected eight home runs and 18 RBIs over his last seven games. Trout looks to continue his torrid pace on Sunday, when the Angels aim for a sweep of their three-game series against the visiting Seattle Mariners.
Trout belted his 30th homer in Saturday’s 9-2 victory and Albert Pujols contributed four RBIs for the Angels, who recorded a combined no-hitter on Friday and have outscored the Mariners 22-2 in the first two games of the set. Trout is batting .411 with 16 home runs and 33 RBIs in his last 37 games against last-place Seattle, which has lost 10 of its last 12 contests. All-Star Daniel Vogelbach notched two hits in Saturday’s loss, but Dylan Moore went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and has recorded only two hits in his last 21 at-bats. The rebuilding Mariners figure to be active ahead of the July 31 trade deadline and could be looking to move a number of veterans - including Mike Leake, Dee Gordon and Tim Beckham.
TV: 4:07 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Yusei Kikuchi (4-6, 4.94 ERA) vs. Angels LH José Suarez (2-1, 5.40)
Kikuchi was a tough-luck loser on July 5 after allowing three runs - two earned - and four hits over seven innings versus Oakland. “Yusei threw the ball really well,” Seattle manager Scott Servais told reporters. “He had good stuff, as far as the velocity and break on his pitches. I thought it was his best sequencing of his pitches that we’d seen really all year.” The 28-year-old Japanese rookie is looking to build off the strong outing after posting a 7.03 ERA in five starts last month.
Suarez allowed two runs and five hits over 3 1/3 innings in a no-decision against Houston last Sunday. The 21-year-old rookie has shuffled between the Angels and the minors this season, making six starts at the major-league level in which he registered 30 strikeouts against 13 walks over 28 1/3 frames. Suarez made his major-league debut versus Seattle on June 9, allowing two runs with six strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings in a 9-3 loss at Angel Stadium.
WALK-OFFS
1. Trout’s 39 home runs against Seattle are his most versus any opponent.
2. There has been at least one home run hit by either team in each of the Mariners’ 96 games this season.
3. Los Angeles designated OF Jarrett Parker, who went 0-for-12 with three walks and a run scored in five games this year, for assignment.