Los Angeles @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2016 ) LA Angels 6, Seattle 8

The bottom of the batting order has stepped up in a big way for the Seattle Mariners this weekend, with Mike Zunino and Shawn O'Malley playing starring roles instead of Robinson Cano or Nelson Cruz. The Mariners look to continue their recent winning ways Sunday when they eye a three-game home sweep of the Los Angeles Angels.

Zunino capped Seattle's six-run first inning in Friday's 6-4 victory with a three-run blast out of the eight-hole before No. 9 hitter and former Angel O'Malley delivered a three-run shot of his own in the seventh to put an exclamation point on the Mariners' rally from an early four-run deficit in Saturday's 8-6 triumph. Seattle (55-52) has won four of five since hitting the breakeven mark Monday and finds itself 4 1/2 games behind Detroit (61-49) for the second wild-card spot in the American League. Meanwhile, Los Angeles (49-61) has dropped three straight and eight of its last 10 road games to fall within a game of joining AL West-worst Oakland (48-62) in the division cellar. The slide has not affected the bat of Mike Trout, who will turn 25 on Sunday, as the five-time All-Star went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs on Saturday and is 10-for-21 with nine RBIs in his last seven games.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Matt Shoemaker (6-11, 4.08 ERA) vs. Mariners LH James Paxton (3-5, 3.93)
Shoemaker surprisingly struggled with control and keeping the ball in the park in Tuesday's victory over Oakland, permitting two solo shots among the six hits and three walks he allowed over seven innings. The three free passes were the most the Michigan native has issued over his last 16 turns, while the two homers he gave up matched the total he had surrendered over his previous six outings combined. Shoemaker took the loss against Seattle during his awful opening month in April, yielding six earned runs in three frames.
Paxton was brilliant in a no-decision versus Boston on Monday, surrendering only a solo homer among the four hits he allowed over eight innings. The 27-year-old Kentucky product has posted 21 strikeouts and only two walks across his last three outings, going 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA over that stretch. Paxton was forced to settle for another no-decision in his previous start versus the Angels last May despite giving up two runs on four hits over seven innings, leaving him with a 2-2 record and 2.65 ERA in six outings against them.

WALK-OFFS
1. The Angels designated RHP Tim LIncecum for assignment and recalled RHP Jose Valdez from Triple-A Salt Lake. Valdez made his big-league debut Saturday, becoming the 25th pitcher used by the team this season.
2. Seattle closer Edwin Diaz likely will be unavailable for Sunday's finale after collecting his first four career saves over the last five days.
3. Los Angeles' bullpen has surrendered 16 earned runs over its last 20 innings.

PREDICTION: Mariners 3, Angels 2