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Angels continue march towards AL West crown against Mariners

(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim can move one step closer towards securing a third American League West title in four years with a victory tonight against the Seattle Mariners.

The Angels enter this four-game set with Seattle holding an 8 1/2-game lead over the second-place Mariners in the West standings. With Anaheim's magic number currently at three, the club needs only to earn a series split to clinch the division.

Los Angeles has had little trouble handling the Mariners this season, having won 11 of 15 games between the two teams in 2007. Seattle has lost five of their six matchups in Angel Stadium so far this year.

The desperate Mariners made a bid to stay in the race by sweeping a three-game series at Oakland earlier this week, but Seattle could gain no ground because Anaheim won all three meetings with Tampa Bay at Angel Stadium. In Wednesday's finale, emergency starter Ervin Santana threw 6 1/3 outstanding innings to help the Angels to a 2-1 win.

Santana, who got the assignment after Bartolo Colon was scratched due to a stiff back, held the Devil Rays to one run on six hits and recorded 10 strikeouts. Francisco Rodriguez tossed a scoreless ninth to pick up his 37th save of the year.

Juan Rivera gave the Angels an early 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the second inning and Jeff Mathis came through with an RBI single in the fourth.

Seattle completed its sweep of the Athletics with a 9-5 decision Wednesday at McAfee Coliseum, with Yuniesky Betancourt leading the way with a 4-for-5, three-RBI performance at the plate.

Ichiro Suzuki and Jamie Burke each had two hits and a pair of RBI for the Mariners, who also remained 6 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the battle for the AL wild card.

Felix Hernandez received his 13th win of the season despite allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and walking four batters in five innings of work.

Suzuki is currently riding a 12-game hit streak and has batted .408 (20- for-49) during the tear. The All-Star outfielder is leading the AL with a .354 average at the moment.

The Mariners will take their swings tonight against Jered Weaver, who has won four of his last five decisions for Anaheim and brings a 12-7 record with a 3.90 earned run average into this start. In each of those four recent victories, the young righty has yielded two runs or less.

Weaver is coming off a terrific outing Saturday in Chicago, where he limited the White Sox to one run and four hits while striking out eight over six innings.

The 24-year-old also owns a recent win over the Mariners. At Safeco Field on August 29, Weaver permitted just two runs -- one earned -- over eight innings to earn the win in the Angels' 8-2 decision.

For his career, Weaver is 3-1 with a 4.34 ERA in six career starts against Seattle.

The Mariners will give rookie Ryan Feierabend another crack at the rotation tonight. The 22-year-old made seven starts for Seattle earlier this season, but has gone just 1-4 with a 9.00 ERA in those games.

Feierabend has pitched well since being recalled during the September roster expansions, however, as the left-hander has permitted just one run in a combined 9 2/3 innings over three relief appearances.

He made a start against the Angels in Anaheim on May 29 and came away with a loss after allowing four runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.

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