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Angels-Mariners Preview

Aug 30, 2010 - 2:17 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Los Angeles (63-67) at Seattle (50-79), 10:10 p.m. EDT

The scuffling Los Angeles Angels appeared to have a chance to rebound with a home matchup against the AL's worst team. Instead, they produced one of their longest scoreless stretches in franchise history.

Los Angeles will try to prevent that drought from reaching a record level in Monday night's opener of a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners.

The Angels (63-68) have dropped 11 of 15 following a three-game sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles in which they scored one run - on a first-inning balk Friday night. Los Angeles was shut out in back-to-back games for the first time in two years with Sunday's 1-0 defeat.

"Offensively, this might be rock bottom," said outfielder Torii Hunter. "We've been looking at ourselves for a long time, trying to figure it out."

The 26-inning scoreless drought is seven shy of matching the franchise's worst established Aug. 7-10, 1963, and equaled June 5-9, 2004. The only time Los Angeles was blanked in three straight games was June 24-26, 1978.

A matchup with the Mariners could help avoid that as the Angels are 10-3 overall against them and 5-1 at Safeco Field. They've outscored their AL West rivals 40-18 in those road games while batting .274 - 17 points higher than their season average.

Los Angeles will also send out Ervin Santana (13-9, 4.13 ERA), who has allowed one run in each of his past two matchups with Seattle. The right-hander earned the victory during a 11-2 rout in Seattle on June 5 but fell short of another win July 18 despite giving up three hits in seven innings of a 2-1 home loss in 10 innings.

Santana is 6-2 with a 3.34 ERA in 14 starts against the Mariners (51-79) since the start of the 2007 season, but he will likely need a better effort than in Tuesday's 10-3 loss to Tampa Bay.

After winning three consecutive starts, Santana was hit for six runs over 5 1-3 innings.

Santana has had mixed results in his last three road starts. He allowed two runs apiece in wins over Texas on July 24 and Boston on Aug. 19, but matched a career high by giving up nine runs to Baltimore on Aug. 4.

His counterpart in Monday's game, meanwhile, hasn't had much luck at home.

In his first season in Seattle, David Pauley (2-5, 4.02) is 0-3 at Safeco despite a 2.86 ERA in four starts. A combined two runs of support has been the culprit in those defeats.

Pauley's first career win streak came to an end Wednesday in Boston. After retiring 12 of his first 13 batters, the right-hander allowed four runs in the sixth inning of a 5-3 defeat while trying to deal with misty weather.

"There are not excuses, but the elements kind of got to me and I started losing the grip on the ball," he told the team's website.

Pauley did not get a decision in his only start against the Angels on April 22, 2008, while pitching for the Red Sox.