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Southpaw duel on tap for Angels/Mariners game

Tue 3rd, June 2008

(Sports Network) - A pair of quality left-handers will each take the mound when the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Seattle Mariners play the second test of a three-game series tonight at Safeco Field.

The American League West-leading Angels put a three-game win streak on the line this evening against Mariners ace Erik Bedard, who owns the best earned run average at home of any major-league starter this year. The former Baltimore Oriole has amassed an outstanding 1.34 ERA in five Safeco Field starts so far this season, along with a 3-1 record.

Bedard was brilliant against the visiting Boston Red Sox last Wednesday, limiting the defending world champions to two hits and striking out eight over seven shutout innings to pick up the win in a 1-0 Seattle victory.

The 29-year-old Canadian has not enjoyed good career success when facing the Angels, however. In five lifetime starts against Anaheim, Bedard is just 1-3 and posted a subpar 6.18 ERA.

The Angels counter Bedard's home dominance with Joe Saunders' season-long success on the road. The vastly-improved southpaw is 4-1 with a 1.87 ERA in five away starts in 2008, and defeated the Mariners at Safeco Field back in April with 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball.

Saunders is also tied for the AL lead with eight victories, while his 2.76 overall ERA is fourth-best among hurlers in the Junior Circuit.

The 26-year-old will have to shake off a rough outing on Wednesday, however. Against Detroit at Angel Stadium, Saunders was reached for five runs on seven hits -- including two homers -- in five innings to suffer his second loss of the 2008 campaign.

Saunders is 3-1 with a 5.67 ERA in five career starts against the Mariners and has won both his matchups with Seattle this season.

In Friday's opener of this series, Jeff Mathis hit a two-run homer and Ervin Santana threw 7 2/3 strong innings as the Angels delivered a 4-2 victory.

Casey Kotchman was 3-for-4 and scored a pair of runs, while Maicer Izturis and Robb Quinlan each had two hits and an RBI.

Santana (8-2) allowed just two runs on six hits to match Saunders and three other AL pitchers with eight wins this season. Francisco Rodriguez earned his major league-leading 22nd save with a perfect ninth.

Jose Lopez went 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs batted in for the Mariners, losers of three of their last four.

Ex-Angel Jarrod Washburn (2-7) suffered the defeat after allowing all four Anaheim runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 frames.

Anaheim now holds a slim 4-3 edge in this year's season series with Seattle after Monday's triumph. The Angels took 13 of 19 contests from the Mariners last season and posted a 6-3 mark at Safeco in 2007.

Seattle did win two of three encounters with the Angels at home from April 11-13.

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