Seattle @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 23, 2015 ) Seattle 3, Detroit 2

The slumping Seattle Mariners are hoping to salvage their road trip by taking advantage of the Tigers when they visit Detroit for the opener of a four-game series on Monday. The Mariners dropped two of three at each Tampa Bay and Boston to begin the 10-game excursion and have lost six of their last eight games overall.

Seattle opened up the three-game set against the Red Sox with an 8-4 win on Friday behind a two-homer, six-RBI effort from Franklin Gutierrez but could not find enough offense in the final two games of the series and ended up totaling three runs in the losses. The Mariners are losers of 12 of 18 in June to fall 8 1/2 games behind the Texas Rangers, who are attempting to run away with the American League West. The Tigers were one of four teams fighting over the top spot in the AL Central before three consecutive losses to the Kansas City Royals over the weekend dropped them one game under .500. Detroit surrendered a total of 26 runs in the first two losses and wasted a strong start from Jordan Zimmermann before falling 2-1 in 13 innings on Sunday.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Nathan Karns (5-2, 4.06 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Mike Pelfrey (1-7, 4.79)

Karns failed to record an out in the sixth inning in five of his last six starts, including the last three. The 28-year-old issued 12 walks in 13 1/3 innings over those three turns but also recorded 18 strikeouts. Karns is making only his third career appearance against Detroit and allowed a total of two runs while walking one and striking out seven over nine innings in the first two chances.

Pelfrey followed up his first win on June 4 with back-to-back losses at the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox. The Wichita State product struggles with his control from time to time as well but doesn’t make up for it with strikeouts like Karns, totaling 30 walks and 35 strikeouts in 71 1/3 total innings this season. Pelfrey is looking for his first career win over the Mariners despite allowing only three runs in 13 1/3 total innings against Seattle.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers RHP Bruce Rondon was recalled on Sunday and struck out three in two perfect innings in his season debut.

2. Gutierrez is 7-for-14 with three home runs, seven RBIs and six runs scored in his last three starts.

3. Detroit DH Victor Martinez is 6-for-35 in his last 11 games.

PREDICTION: Mariners 5, Tigers 4