Things don't figure to get any easier for the Los Angeles Angels on Friday when Seattle ace Felix Hernandez takes the hill, aiming to extend the Angels' 23-inning scoreless streak on their home field.
The road wasn't all that much kinder to LA, which is coming off a 4-6 trek, culminated by losing two of three in Oakland. The A's won the rubber match of that series on Wednesday when Yoenis Cespedes' go-ahead, two-run single highlighted a five-run sixth inning as Oakland downed the Angels, 9-8.
Kendrys Morales cracked a pair of long balls for the Angels, who have dropped six of their last eight games overall.
"When you score eight runs you have to find a way to win a ballgame," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "We didn't get it done."
The Mariners, meanwhile, have lost four straight overall after getting swept in a three-game series with Baltimore.
The Orioles' Steve Johnson struck out nine over six innings in his first major league start, as Baltimore completed the sweep with a 9-2 victory Wednesday night in Charm City.
Kevin Millwood (4-10) was tagged for eight hits and seven runs over four innings and faltered to 1-6 over his last 13 starts.
"We didn't make any errors, but we didn't make any plays," Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. "There were four or five different things that happened early on that just can't happen. We're not doing what we need to be doing out there defensively."
Hernandez is coming off a brilliant two-hitter in a 1-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Saturday, Seattle's last victory. The former AL Cy Young Award winner is 6-0 with a 1.41 ERA since his last loss. Overall, though, he is just 6-10 with a 3.80 ERA against LA.
"That was just special stuff today," Wedge said after watching Hernandez handcuff the Yankees. "I thought it was the most impressive start that I've ever seen as a manager."
Trying to match Hernandez on Friday will be right-hander Ervin Santana, who has pitched better recently after getting skipped in the rotation. The veteran gave up three runs in six innings during his last start, a 6-5 10-inning win over Chicago on Saturday. Santana is 11-7 with a 3.93 ERA in 27 career starts versus the M's.
"Hopefully he's turned the corner on some things," Scioscia told the team's website.
LA has taken five of seven over Seattle so far this season.
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