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Angels-Mariners Preview

Aug 31, 2009 - 1:27 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (76-52) at Seattle (68-62), 10:10 p.m. EDT

The Los Angeles Angels haven't been playing their best baseball lately, but they're not panicking. With their sights set on a World Series championship, they know they still have some time to round back into form.

With five weeks remaining in the regular season, the AL West-leading Angels again try to get things turned around when they open a three-game series Monday night at the Seattle Mariners, who expect to have Ichiro Suzuki back in their lineup for the first time in a week.

Los Angeles (77-52) won 24 of its first 32 games after the All-Star break, but is only 4-7 since Aug. 20. The Angels, second in the majors in runs (736) and first in batting average (.289), still own a five-game lead over second-place Texas but didn't look overly impressive while splitting a four-game series against last-place Oakland over the weekend.

"Hopefully we can keep getting some runs and take it into the final weeks that way," said John Lackey, who earned his 100th career win in Sunday's 9-1 victory. "You've got to be playing your best baseball at the right time."

Kendry Morales and Torii Hunter each hit three-run homers Sunday, as they continue to carry the Angels' potent offense.

Morales is batting .483 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in his last eight games and leads the AL with 45 RBIs since the break.

Hunter is batting .393 with two home runs and six RBIs in his last contests, and is hitting .345 with two homers, four doubles and seven RBIs in seven games in Seattle this season. The Angels are 4-3 at Safeco Field in 2009, and have won 11 of their last 15 there.

The Mariners (68-63) are coming off a 3-0 loss to Kansas City on Sunday, just their second defeat in seven games.

After being one-hit by All-Star Zack Greinke, Seattle's offense should receive a boost from the return of Suzuki, who has missed the last seven games with a strained left calf.

Suzuki, 16 hits shy of a record ninth consecutive 200-hit season, is batting .214 lifetime against Joe Saunders (10-7, 5.27 ERA), who takes the ball for the Angels in the series opener.

After spending 2 1/2 weeks on the disabled list with tightness in his throwing shoulder, Saunders gave up two runs and four hits with six strikeouts in five innings of a 4-2 win over Detroit on Wednesday. It was the first time the left-hander yielded fewer than four runs since June.

"It was nice to be able to throw the ball without any hint of tightness," Saunders said.

Saunders now tries to win back-to-back starts for the first time since winning three in a row April 28-May 9. He'll be facing one of his favorite opponents. Saunders has posted a 0.64 ERA to win both of his starts against the Mariners this season, and is 5-0 with a 2.40 ERA in six games against them since the start of 2008.

Seattle counters with rookie Luke French (4-3, 3.92), who is set to make his first career start against the Angels.

French allowed three runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings of Wednesday's 5-3 win over Oakland, improving to 3-1 with a 4.50 ERA in five starts for Seattle.

The left-hander - acquired from Detroit on July 31 - walked just one against the Athletics after issuing 12 free passes in his previous three outings.