Seattle @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 28, 2013 ) LA Angels 1, Seattle 2

The Seattle Mariners are glad to have Cleveland in their rear-view mirror and hope to recover against the struggling Los Angeles Angels in Tuesday’s opener of a two-game set in Anaheim. Seattle lost all four games in Cleveland, with three ending in the Indians’ last at-bat. Monday’s loss included blowing leads in the ninth and 10th innings as the Indians posted a 10-8 victory. The Angels have won two straight but still possess the third-worst record in baseball.

Los Angeles is 10 games below .500 with one of the heftiest payrolls in baseball. Only the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins have worse records than the Angels. Los Angeles rolled up 18 runs while winning the final two contests of a four-game series with the Chicago White Sox to improve to 3-4 on a nine-game homestand. Seattle is in third place in the American League West and stands 2 1/2 games ahead of the Angels despite the season-worst four-game skid. The Mariners were one out away from winning Monday’s game in the ninth, but closer Tom Wilhelmsen dropped a throw while covering first base to allow Cleveland to tie the game. Seattle again went ahead in the 10th before the Indians won on a three-run homer by Yan Gomes. The Mariners captured three of four at home from the Angels in late April.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Seattle), FSN West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Aaron Harang (1-4, 7.30 ERA) vs. Angels RH Jerome Williams (2-1, 3.05)

Harang has allowed two runs over six innings in each of his last two starts after struggling in his previous two. One of those poor outings was in a loss to the Angels in which he gave up five runs and six hits in three frames on April 26. Harang is pitching for the first time since May 7 after missing a turn with back stiffness. He is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA in four career starts against the Angels.

Williams also is coming off two straight solid outings – both against the White Sox. He gave up two runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings in a victory on May 11 and then yielded two runs and five hits in six frames five days later in a no-decision. Williams is holding opposing hitters to a .219 average this season. He is 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA in nine career appearances (four starts) against Seattle.

WALK-OFFS

1. Seattle went 5-4 at Angel Stadium last season after losing 20 of its previous 24 in Anaheim.

2. Angels 1B Albert Pujols is batting .311 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 74 career at-bats against Harang.

3. Mariners 1B Justin Smoak is 1-for-12 with five strikeouts against Williams, but the lone hit was a homer.

PREDICTION: Angels 9, Mariners 6