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Mariners-Angels Preview

Sep 12, 2010 - 6:25 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Seattle (55-86) at Los Angeles (68-73), 3:35 p.m. EDT

It's been nearly three months since the Los Angeles Angels won four straight games, but they're certainly facing the right opponent to try and make that happen.

The Angels look to close a dominating season series against the Seattle Mariners with a win and three-game sweep Sunday.

Los Angeles (69-73) improved to 14-4 against Seattle (55-87) with a 7-4 victory Saturday. The Angels are 7-2 at home against the Mariners.

Torii Hunter drove in four runs in the latest win. Despite the Angels' success against the Mariners, Hunter had come in batting just .196 in the season series. Overall, he's 9 for 29 with three doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs over the last seven games.

The Angels now seek their first three-game sweep since Aug. 9-11 against Kansas City. Los Angeles hasn't won four straight since a six-game run from June 2-7.

Dan Haren (2-4, 3.39 ERA) gets the call for Los Angeles in the season-series finale.

Haren had a strong start against Cleveland on Monday, giving up two runs in seven innings, but wouldn't earn a decision as the Angels fell 3-2.

"I don't feel good about it," he said. "Wins have been a struggle for me this year. I've been throwing the ball better here than when I was with Arizona, but the team wins haven't been there, so I'm just as frustrated as anybody."

The right-hander has five quality starts in nine outings since joining Los Angeles after a July trade with the Diamondbacks, and is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in his last three. However, the Angels have scored two or fewer runs in seven of Haren's starts.

He faced Seattle on Aug. 31 for the first time since 2007, and pitched seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts in a 3-1 loss.

Ichiro Suzuki had two hits against Haren in that game. On Saturday, Suzuki extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a three-run homer in the eighth for his 2,215th hit to move past Joe DiMaggio on the all-time list.

The Mariners will try to avoid a fourth straight loss overall when they hand the ball to Jason Vargas (9-9, 3.72), who is 0-4 with a 7.23 ERA in his last four appearances, and matched his shortest outing of the season in his most recent one.

The left-hander gave up five runs and seven hits - including two home runs - in 4 1-3 innings of a 6-2 loss to Oakland on Monday.

He was on the losing end of a 4-2 defeat to the Angels on Sept. 1. Vargas gave up three runs and four hits in seven innings, and is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA against Los Angeles this year.