Seattle @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 29, 2018 ) Seattle 8, LA Angels 5

The Seattle Mariners' postseason hopes continue to fade and they look to break out of their deep funk when they open a four-game series against the host Los Angeles Angels on Thursday. Seattle has dropped 10 of its last 15 games to fall 9 1/2 games behind the Oakland Athletics for the American League's second wild-card spot.

The Tampa Bay Rays have passed the Mariners in the wild-card hunt as Seattle's fortunes took another hit with Wednesday's 5-4 home loss to the San Diego Padres. Slugger Nelson Cruz bashed his 35th homer into the upper deck at Safeco Field and it also represented his 1,000th career RBI. Los Angeles rolled to an 8-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday to win for the sixth time in seven games - a stretch that includes two 1-0 victories and three wins in which it scored eight or more runs. Francisco Arcia went 3-for-4 with two homers and four RBIs and fellow rookie Jose Fernandez went deep for the second straight game after hitting his first career home run Tuesday.

TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports Northwest (Seattle), FS West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Mike Leake (9-9, 4.11 ERA) vs. Angels RH Odrisamer Despaigne (2-2, 6.40)

Leake went 0-5 during an 11-start winless stretch before he defeated the Baltimore Orioles in his last turn, allowing two unearned runs and seven hits over six innings. The 30-year-old was roughed up for 11 runs and 18 hits over 10 1/3 innings in losses to Arizona and Oakland before the sharp turnaround against the Orioles. Leake is 1-3 with a 5.59 ERA in four starts against the Angels this season and 3-3 with a 4.05 ERA in six career turns.

Despaigne is drawing his fourth start since being acquired by the Angels as the club announced it was pushing Matt Shoemaker back a day. The 31-year-old Cuban has been roughed up for 11 runs, 20 hits and eight walks in 12 innings with the team while allowing opposing hitters to bat .370. Despaigne's lone home start since joining Los Angeles came Aug. 27 when he gave up two runs and six hits over four innings in a no-decision against the Colorado Rockies.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mariners 3B Kyle Seager homered Thursday to end a 19-game homerless drought.

2. Los Angeles SS Andrelton Simmons went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored Wednesday while recording his fourth multi-hit outing in his last six appearances.

3. Seattle SS Jean Segura (illness) has missed two straight games, and LHP James Paxton (fever) didn't travel with the team to Anaheim after Wednesday's contest and isn't expected to make his scheduled Friday start.

PREDICTION: Angels 5, Mariners 2