Angels at Mariners
The Seattle Mariners broke out of their offensive slumber in the series opener and look to follow up the strong showing when they host the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game set. Daniel Vogelbach registered two homers and six RBIs on Friday as Seattle rolled to a 10-0 victory after scoring just nine runs over its first five games following the All-Star break.
Mike Leake retired the first 24 batters he faced and finished with a one-hitter just one week after being unable to make it out of the first inning versus Los Angeles as he helped the Mariners end their six-game slide and win for just the third time in 16 contests. Vogelbach was just 9-for-57 over his previous 17 games before matching the career high for RBIs he set on April 7 against the Chicago White Sox. Luis Rengifo singled to start the ninth inning for the Angels, who have dropped three straight after winning their previous five contests. Mike Trout was hitless in four at-bats in the opener but still is a robust 20-for-56 with six homers and 18 RBIs against the Mariners this season.
TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Griffin Canning (3-5, 4.75 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Wade LeBlanc (5-3, 5.15 ERA)
Canning lasted just 1 1/3 innings in Monday's start against Houston as he issued a season-high six walks and threw four wild pitches while allowing three runs and two hits. It was the second straight poor effort by the 23-year-old, who gave up six runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 frames of a loss to Texas on July 4. Canning, who will be facing Seattle for the first time in his career, is just 1-4 with a 5.58 ERA in six road outings.
LeBlanc will follow an "opener" as he attempts to bounce back from a dreadful effort against the Angels on July 13. The 34-year-old served up homers to Kole Calhoun and Trout while being torched for six runs and 10 hits in four innings at Angel Stadium. LeBlanc registered a season-best eight strikeouts while giving up two runs and six hits in six innings of a win over Los Angeles on June 9 to improve to 3-1 with a 4.50 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) versus the club.
WALK-OFFS
1. Angels 1B Albert Pujols (hamstring) sat out the opener but is expected to be available on Saturday.
2. Seattle RHP Hunter Strickland (lat) will pitch for Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday and in two more minor-league games next week with the hope of being back in the majors by next weekend.
3. Los Angeles designated struggling RHP Matt Harvey for assignment, recalled RHP Jaime Barria and LHP-1B Jared Walsh from Triple-A Salt Lake and optioned RHP Jake Jewell to the Bees.