Seattle @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 13, 2016 ) Seattle 8, LA Angels 0

Seattle right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma attempts to set a new career high for victories when the Mariners try to complete a three-game sweep of the host Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. Iwakuma is seeking his 16th victory, which would snap a tie with his 2014 output as his best total since leaving Japan for a major league career that began in 2012.

Iwakuma also will be attempting to pitch Seattle to its eighth straight victory after the club rolled to an 8-0 victory Tuesday. The red-hot Mariners have outscored their opponents 50-14 during the seven-game hot stretch and are 2 1/2 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles, who share the American League's two wild-card spots. Seth Smith belted a grand slam, Nelson Cruz hit a two-run blast and Nori Aoki hit a solo shot as Seattle increased its homer total to 202 to top 200 for the first time since the 1999 team hit 244. The Angels have dropped five of their last six games and center fielder Mike Trout, who struck out in all three of his at-bats Tuesday, is just 9-for-46 with one homer against Iwakuma.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (15-11, 3.96 ERA) vs. Angels LH Tyler Skaggs (3-3, 4.13)

Iwakuma allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings while beating Oakland in his last outing to halt a four-start losing streak. He lost twice to the Angels during that span, giving up six runs (five earned) and 14 hits in 14 innings to drop to 8-5 with a 2.90 ERA in 18 career appearances (17 starts). Iwakuma has issued just 39 bases on balls in 29 starts and has walked one or fewer in eight of his last nine outings.

Skaggs is making his 10th start of the season and it will be the fourth time he has taken the mound against the Mariners. He is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in the other three turns and stands 1-2 with a 5.72 ERA in five career matchups. Skaggs struck out eight and allowed just two hits in six shutout innings while receiving a no-decision against Texas in his last turn.

WALK-OFFS

1. The left-handed hitting Aoki is 8-for-20 with two homers, six RBIs and eight runs scored during a five-game hitting streak but figures to be on the bench against Skaggs in favor of right-handed hitting Franklin Gutierrez (5-for-8, two homers versus Skaggs).

2. Los Angeles SS Andrelton Simmons (hand) has missed two straight games and can't yet grip a bat.

3. Seattle traded LHP Wade LeBlanc to the Pittsburgh Pirates for a player to be named or cash.

PREDICTION: Mariners 7, Angels 2