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Mariners-Angels Preview

Sep 11, 2010 - 7:16 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Seattle (55-86) at Los Angeles (68-73), 9:05 p.m. EDT

Poor run support may cost Felix Hernandez a chance at his first AL Cy Young Award, but the Seattle Mariners ace is still doing his best to make a case for the honor.

Hernandez looks to win a fourth consecutive decision when the Mariners face the Los Angeles Angels in the middle game of their weekend series Saturday in Anaheim.

The Mariners (55-86) own the lowest batting average in baseball at .235, and Hernandez (11-10, 2.30 ERA) is all too familiar with those offensive shortcomings.

The right-hander gets an average of 3.32 runs of support, ranking among the lowest in the majors. The Seattle offense has mustered seven total runs for him in his 10 losses.

Hernandez has a respectable 3.76 ERA in four meetings with the Angels (68-73) this season, but has only been backed by three runs in those games and has been saddled with an 0-2 record as a result.

"Sometimes I think it's coincidence more than anything else and sometimes there might be a feeling of you may not have to score very many because you know how good the guy is on the mound," Seattle manager Daren Brown said.

"For me I think it's probably coincidence, not to mention a lot of times a guy like Felix, you've got to look at who he's matching up against," he added.

Hernandez ranks among baseball's leaders in ERA, strikeouts (209) and innings (219 1-3) after enjoying a career-year in 2009, going 19-5 with a 2.49 ERA while fanning 217 and finishing second to Kansas City's Zach Greinke for the Cy Young.

Hernandez hasn't needed much assistance in his last six starts, going 4-1 with a 0.20 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 45 innings.

He was outstanding again Sunday, scattering four hits with nine strikeouts in eight innings of a 3-0 win over Cleveland, running his scoreless streak to 16 1-3 innings. That stretch includes his most recent start against the Angels on Aug. 31, when he fanned eight in seven shutout innings but didn't get a decision in a 3-1 Seattle win.

"He gets in there and gets after it, no outs, one out, two outs, doesn't matter to him. Nobody is going to score on him," Mariners catcher Adam Moore said.

The Mariners could use another dominant effort from Hernandez after using four relievers Friday, when Brian Sweeney served up a walkoff homer to Bobby Abreu in a 4-3, 14-inning loss.

Hernandez hasn't won at Angel Stadium since his first start there June 11, 2006, going 0-3 with a 3.56 ERA in eight starts since.

Abreu is 11 for 33 with one homer off Hernandez.

The Angels are looking for their first three-game winning streak since Aug. 9-11.

They'll turn to Ervin Santana (15-9, 4.02), who has won seven of nine starts to move within one victory of tying his single-season career high, set in 2006 and equaled in 2008.

The right-hander was impressive Sunday, allowing two earned runs in six innings of a 7-4 win at Oakland.

"He went out there and made good pitches," manager Mike Scioscia said. "We got six strong innings and that was good enough. He's been very consistent and we always feel good with him on the mound."

Santana is 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA in his last three starts against the Mariners, beating them 5-3 while allowing two runs in 7 2-3 innings Aug. 30.