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Angels hope to get back on track versus Mariners

Jul 7, 2011 - 3:04 PM (Sports Network) - The LA Angels of Anaheim look to get back on track when they begin a four-game series versus the AL West-rival Seattle Mariners tonight at the Big A.

The Angels are 7-2 on a season-long 13-game homestand and had a four-game winning streak stopped with Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers in the finale of a three-game set. Mark Trumbo homered and Howie Kendrick drove in a pair of runs for the Angels, who lost for only the third time in 13 tries. The Halos have still won their last seven series.

Tyler Chatwood started for Anaheim and did not record a decision, as he allowed two unearned runs and four hits over 5 1/3 innings. Hisanori Takahashi suffered the loss in relief and gave up two runs in an inning of work. The Angels are now a game behind Texas for the AL West lead with the Mariners just 3 1/2 games off the pace.

"It was a tough day," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "You can't give that team (Detroit) eight walks and an error and expect to win."

One of the league's best with a stingy 1.92 ERA, Angels staff ace Jered Weaver will handle pitching duties tonight. Weaver is 4-0 with a 1.31 ERA in eight starts since losing four straight appearances. He is coming off Saturday's 7-1 win versus the local Dodgers and hurled eight innings of one-run ball with eight K's and two walks, improving to 10-4 in 18 starts with a 1.92 ERA.

Weaver, who has won at least 10 games in each of his six years in the major leagues, is 4-1 in seven trips to the Big A mound. The lanky right-hander is 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in two starts against Seattle this season and a dominant 11-4 with a 3.44 ERA in 20 career starts in this matchup.

Seattle blew a chance for a three-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics with Wednesday's 2-0 loss. Jason Vargas allowed both runs over eight innings to fall to 6-6, while Adam Kennedy and Dustin Ackley provided the offense in the two-hit attack.

"Every now and again you run into a buzzsaw, but a day like today, I didn't feel like that was the case," Mariners manager Eric Wedge said.

The Mariners had a three-game winning streak stopped and lost for the fifth time in nine tries. They are 2-1 on a seven-game road trip.

Doug Fister draws the start for the Mariners tonight and he's 0-4 with a 2.68 ERA in his last six starts. He lasted nine innings in a 1-0 loss versus San Diego on Saturday and allowed just one run and six hits with seven strikeouts and one walk. He fell to 3-9 with a 3.02 ERA in 17 starts.

Foster, a right-hander, has pitched at least seven innings in seven consecutive performances and is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts against the rival Angels this season. In five career starts against the Halos, Fister sports a 1-2 mark to go along with a 3.86 ERA.

Seattle has won three of five meetings with the Angels this season, but LA is 15-5 in the past 20 matchups between the two foes.