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Angels-Mariners Preview

May 14, 2016 - 6:48 AM Jhoulys Chacin insists he's finally healthy after battling shoulder problems over the past two seasons. The Los Angeles Angels are counting on it.

Making his Angels debut, the right-hander will try to provide a spark for a struggling, injury-ravaged rotation as Los Angeles looks to put together only its second winning streak in a month Saturday night against the Seattle Mariners.

Chacin (1-2, 5.40 ERA) was one of Colorado's top pitchers in 2013 when he went 14-10 with a 3.47 ERA despite playing at Coors Field. However, he developed a sore shoulder the following season and spent 2015 trying to regain strength.

Chacin said he finally felt like his old self during winter ball in Venezuela. His effort there earned him a deal with Atlanta, where he had a 3.27 ERA in four starts before allowing eight runs over 4 2/3 innings in an 8-0 loss to the Mets on May 4.

With C.J. Wilson, Andrew Heaney and Garrett Richards all sidelined, the Angels saw enough from Chacin to acquire him for minor leaguer Adam McCreery on Wednesday. He'll look to bolster a rotation that has an 8.54 ERA over the past 12 games.

"My last two years were hard on my shoulder," the 28-year-old told the league's official website. "But last year, and all of this year, I've been fine. I had one really bad game, but besides that, I've been feeling great."

Chacin will try to help Los Angeles (14-21) claim its second winning streak since a season-high four-game run from April 10-13 after Friday's 7-6 comeback win snapped a six-game skid. AL West-leading Seattle lost for only the sixth time in its past 22.

He'll get his first look at the Mariners (21-14), who have hit .271 with 32 home runs and averaged 5.2 runs over their last 21 games. Norichika Aoki has three homers and a double in 11 at-bats off him dating to his time in the NL.

Nelson Cruz and Chris Iannetta homered Friday when the Mariners built a 6-3 lead before reliever Joel Peralta allowed two runs in the eighth inning and closer Steve Cishek gave up two in the ninth as their three-game winning streak came to an end.

Robinson Cano extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a double. The slugger is batting .426 with four home runs and nine RBIs over that stretch.

Seattle's Hisashi Iwakuma has limited opponents to three runs or less in five of his seven starts, but he's received three runs or less in six of those outings. He allowed three runs and seven hits over five innings in Sunday's 5-1 loss at Houston.

Iwakuma (1-4, 4.19) has gone 8-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 14 career starts versus Los Angeles. The right-hander was outstanding at Angel Stadium on April 22 when he surrendered two runs over eight innings in a 5-2, 10-inning victory.

Kole Calhoun and C.J. Cron homered off him in that contest. Mike Trout, though, is hitting .231 in 39 career at-bats and Albert Pujols has hit .143 in his 42 at-bats.

Cron went deep in the eighth inning Friday before adding a two-run bloop single in the ninth. He's 10 for 24 with two homers and six RBIs over his last six games.

Yunel Escobar could be held out for the second straight game after suffering a thumb injury Thursday while diving for a ball.