Kyle Seager is the best player on the 2012 Mariners, according to his Wins Above Replacement (WAR) number of 1.6. The Mariners and Angels finish their series Sunday at Safeco Field. / Wiki Commons

GAME: Angels 23-25, 3rd, AL West, – 6.5 GB) at Mariners (21-29, 4th, AL West, – 9.0 GB). GAME #: 50. SERIES: 4th of 4 games. MEETING: 4th (Angels lead 3-0). WHEN: Sunday, 1:10 p.m., Safeco Field. PROBABLE PITCHERS: LHP C. J. Wilson (Los Angeles, 5-4, 2.90) vs. RHP Hector Noesi (Seattle, 2-5, 5.26). STREAKS: Mariners L 3; Angels W 5. TV: ROOT Sports, MLB TV. RADIO: KIRO 710 (Seattle), Mariners Radio Network.

To prevent the first Angels sweep at Safeco Field since 2006, the Mariners will trot out RHP Hector Noesi Sunday, who is coming off a quality start — but a loss — to the Texas Rangers. Noesi will be opposed by lefty C.J. Wilson, who is 9-5 in his career against Seattle and is coming off a 5-0 blanking of the Oakland Athletics.

Seattle’s 5-3 loss to the Angels Saturday buried the Mariners 9.0 games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West, the biggest deficit Seattle has had in the division race this season. Following Sunday’s game, the Mariners fly to Texas for a three-game series, the first of an 11-day, 10-game road trip that will take the club through Chicago and Los Angeles.

Noesi has pitched against the Angels just once, in 2011, when he was a member of the New York Yankees. That outing ended dreadfully (see below). A closer look at Sunday’s probables:

MARINERS: RHP Hector Noesi (2-5, 5.26 ERA, 1.35 WHIP)

Hector Noesi

The 25-year-old Noesi, in his second major league season and first with the Mariners, is making his 10th start and first against the Angels. He is coming off a 3-1 loss to the Texas Rangers.

A native of Esperanza, Valverde, Dominican Republic, the 6-3, 200-pound Noesi was signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Yankees in 2004.

Noesi made his major league debut May 18, 2011 for the New York Yankees against the Baltimore Orioles. The fifth Yankees reliever that day, he collected the win by working four innings, allowing four hits, no runs and fanning four.

Noesi became a Mariner Jan. 23 when he was traded by the Yankees, along with Jesus Montero, to Seattle for Jose Campos (minors) and Michael Pineda, an All-Star starter.

Noesi, who appeared in 30 games for the Yankees, making two starts, has a career record of 4-7, 4.85 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.

  • LAST START: May 12 at Safeco Field, suffered a 3-1 loss to the Texas Rangers; allowed three earned runs on three hits over 8.0 innings; struck out seven, walked two in a 102-pitch effort, 66 for strikes.
  • LAST VS. ANGELS: Sept. 10, 2011, pitching for New York, did not factor in the decision in the Yankees’ 6-0 loss to Los Angeles at Angels Stadium; allowed four earned runs on four hits in 0.2 innings; struck out one, walked one, gave up one home run.
  • CAREER VS. ANGELS: 0-0, 54.00 ERA in one game, a relief appearance, covering 0.2 innings; faced seven batters and was rocked for four earned runs on four hits.
  • AT SAFECO FIELD: 2-2, 3.38 ERA in five games, including four starts, covering 26.2 innings; averages 6.8 strikeouts per nine innings; all 10 runs allowed earned; has allowed two home runs.
  • LOVES/HATES TO FACE: Noesi has faced six members of the Angels. Maicer Izturis and Mike Trout have hits off Noesi.
  • CURRENT ANGELS VS. NOESI: 2-for-3, .667 BA, 1 double, 2 RBIs, 1 strikeout.

Noesi / 2012

  • April 9 (L, 0-1): Shelled for seven earned runs in 3.0 innings in an 11-5 loss to the Rangers.
  • April 14 (W, 1-1): Collected his first win as a Mariner by working 8.0 IP, allowing five hits and no runs in a 4-0 win over Oakland; fanned six, issued one walk and recorded 17 fly-ball outs vs. five ground-ball outs; 100 pitches, 68 for strikes.
  • April 20 (L, 1-2): Didn’t make it past the second inning in a 7-3 loss to the White Sox at Safeco Field; allowed six earned runs on six hits; one home run.
  • April 26 (ND, 1-2): Gave up four runs on five hits over 5.0 innings and allowed one home run; threw 77 pitches, 49 for strikes.
  • May 1 (L, 1-3): Allowed three runs on three hits in 5.2 innings in a 3-1 loss to the Rays; struck out one and walked three, throwing 84 pitches, just 46 for strikes; allowed one home run.
  • May 6 (W, 2-3): Defeated Nick Blackburn and the Twins 5-2 at Safeco Field; allowed one earned run in 7.0 innings; struck out five, walked three and one home run; threw 105 pitches, 73 for strikes.
  • May 12 (L, 2-4): Lost to the Yankees 6-2; allowed five earned runs on six hits in 7.0 innings; struck out four and walked none; two home runs, including one to former Mariner Raul Ibanez.
  • May 17 (ND, 2-4): At Cleveland, received a no-decision in Seattle’s 6-5 loss; allowed one run on five hits over 6.1 innings; struck out five and walked three; Mariners had a 4-0 lead in the seventh but lost in extra innings 6-5.
  • May 12 (L, 2-5): At Safeco Field, suffered a 3-1 loss to the Texas Rangers; allowed three earned runs on three hits over 8.0 innings; struck out seven, walked two in a 102-pitch effort, 66 for strikes.

ANGELS: LHP C.J. Wilson (5-4, 2.90 ERA, 1.15 WHIP)

C.J. Wilson

The 31-year-old Wilson, in his eighth major league season and first with the Angels, will be making his 11th start and first against the Mariners.

A native of Newport Beach, CA., the 6-1, 210-pound Wilson pitched for Loyola Marymount University before the Texas Rangers selected him in the fifth round of the 2001 amateur draft.

He pitched in the Texas system for four years before making his major league debut June 10, 2005, in a 12-5 Texas loss to the Florida Marlins. Wilson worked 0.1 innings of relief, allowing a hit.

Wilson worked primarily in relief for the Rangers (high of 24 saves in 2008) from 2005-09 before becoming a full-time starter in 2010. In 34 starts that year, he went 15-8, 3.35, but also led the American League in walks with 93.

In 2011, Wilson improved to 16-7, 2.94 and made his first American League All-Star appearance. After the season, he signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Angels, agreeing to a five-year, $77 million deal.

Wilson holds the distinction of being one of six pitchers in major league history to go eight straight postseason starts (with Texas) without recording a victory.

  • 2012: Wilson has pitched into the seventh inning in five of his 10 starts. He pitched his stingiest game in his last one, allowing no earned runs in defeating Oakland 5-0. Wilson had his worst start May 11 at Texas, allowing four earned runs in a 10-3 loss.
  • LAST START: May 22 at Oakland, allowed just one hit over 8.0 innings and defeated the Athletics 5-0; struck out seven, walked 2 and threw just 125 pitches, 75 for strikes.
  • LAST VS. MARINERS: Sept. 16, 2011, suffered a 4-0 loss to Seattle at Safeco Field; allowed one earned run on four hits over 6.1 innings; gave up one home run, to Casper Wells.
  • CAREER VS. MARINERS: 9-5, 4.04 ERA in 47 games, including 10 starts, covering 93.2 innings; also has seven saves; averages 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings; has given up eight home runs.
  • AT SAFECO FIELD: 4-3, 3.29 in 25 games, including seven starts, covering 54.2 innings; also has three saves; 57 strikeouts vs. 25 walks; six home runs.
  • LOVES TO FACE: Miguel Olivo (1-for-10, .100 BA, 4 K’s), Michael Saunders (2-for-12, .167 BA, 4 K’s), Ichiro (9-for-43, .209 BA, 11 K’s).
  • HATES TO FACE: Dustin Ackley (2-for-6, .333 BA), Chone Figgins (10-for-34, .294 BA).
  • CURRENT MARINERS VS. WILSON: 42-for-170, .247 BA, four HRs, 40 strikeouts.

AL WEST STANDINGS

Team W L Pct. GB Home Road Last 10 Streak
Rangers 29 18 .617 13-9 16-9 6-4 Won 2
Angels 23 25 .479 6.5 11-10 12-15 6-4 Won 5
Athletics 22 25 .468 7.0 10-14 12-11 3-7 Lost 4
Mariners 21 28 .429 9.0 9-12 12-16 5-5 Lost 3

MARINERS / STATS NOTES

  • CURRENT HOME STAND: Three against Texas Monday-Wednesday, four vs. Los Angeles Angels Thursday-Sunday.
  • HOME STAND PROMOTIONS: Sunday — Little League Day (Justin Smoak Growth Chart; Senior Special Day).
  • MARINERS VS. ANGELS: Mariners 230-288 all-time vs. Angels, including 52-64 at Safeco Field. Mariners lost the 2011 season series 12-7 and haven’t beaten the Angels in a season series since 2003. Mariners have not swept a four-game series from the Angels at Safeco Field since 2001. Angels last swept a four-game series at Safeco Field in 2006.
  • LATEST: Seattle’s 9.0-game deficit in the AL West is its largest of the season . . . Alberto Callaspo’s pinch grand slam off Felix Hernandez was the first such homer by an Angel since Shane Halter against Tampa Bay May 8, 2004 . . . The 6.0 innings worked by Felix Hernandez marked his second-shortest outing of the season and the two home runs he allowed were a season high . . . Hernandez, who has lost three of his past four outings, is 10-20, 4.68 in 39 career May starts . . . Hernandez has struck out 7+ batters 90 times in his career . . . Justin Smoak homered Friday and Saturday, the first time since June 2-3, 2011 that he’s homered in back-to-back games. Smoak has three home runs in his last six games . . . When Miguel Olivo caught Mike Trout stealing in the first inning, it snapped a streak of 11 consecutive successful stolen bases by Seattle opponents. Olivo is 7-for-20 at throwing out base stealers . . . Mariners went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, leading manager Eric Wedge to say, “I’m still disappointed with the overall approach. I mean, we’ve got guys who are still in-between up there. We’ve got guys who are taking too many fastballs. At times, we’re getting a little bit too picky with two strikes, too many called thirds. We’re still fouling off pitches we should be squaring up. No, I’m not pleased.” . . . Franklin Gutierrez, recovering from a right pectoral muscle, is close to being sent out on a rehab assignment.
  • SEASON SUMMARY: Series Record: Won 7, Split 0, Lost 9 . . . Sweeps: 2; Swept: 2 . . . Longest Win Streak: 4 (April 24-27, May 18-21); Longest Losing Streak: 7 (April 28-May 4) . . . Vs. Divisions: vs. AL East: 2-10; vs. AL Central: 8-9; vs. AL West: 8-9; vs NL West: 3-0 . . . Biggest Lead: 1.0, April 7; Farthest Behind: 9.0, May 26 . . . Most Runs Scored: 10, May 19 at Colorado; Most Runs Allowed: 11, April 9 at Texas . . . Walk-Off Wins: 1, May 7, first since Sept. 14, 2011 vs. New York, and first via a sacrifice fly (John Jaso) since Sept. 14, 2007 vs. Tampa Bay (Jose Guillen); Walk-Off Losses: 1, May 17, at Cleveland, Carlos Santana bases-loaded single off League in 11th . . . Times Opponent Shut out: 3; Times Shut out by Opponent: 6.
  • BATTING: Mariners rank 10th (AL) in runs (183), 13th in hits (374), ninth in doubles (78), first in triples (10) and eighth in home runs (41) . . . Rank 13th in batting average (.228), 13th in on-base percentage (.289), 13th in slugging (.363) and 13th in OPS (.652) . . . batting 87-for-397 (.219) with runners in scoring position after going 2-for-10 Saturday . . . out-homered 53-41 . . . left 299 men on base, opponents 296 . . .scored 183 runs, opponents 191 . . . scored 99 of 181 runs in the first four innings . . . Mariners 18-7 when scoring 4+ runs . . . Mariners have homered in 20 of last 32 games . . . batted around three times: April 7 at Oakland (4th inning), April 9 at Texas (1st), and April 17 vs. Cleveland (4th).
  • BATTING EXTRA: Longest Hitting Streak: Dustin Ackley, 13 games, May 3-17 . . . Four-Hit Games: Ichiro, March 28 vs. Oakland; Justin Smoak, April 17 vs. Cleveland; Jesus Montero, May 1 at Tampa . . .  Grand Slams: Michael Saunders, April 27 at Toronto; Alex Liddi, May 23 vs. Texas . . . Back-To-Back Home Runs: Jesus Montero, Justin Smoak, 3rd inning, May 20, at Colorado . . . Notable: Kyle Seager’s single in the fourth inning April 17 marked the 50,000th hit in Mariners’ history; Brendan Ryan’s walk in the same frame scored Justin Smoak with the 25,000th run in franchise history . . . Montero’s 13 RBIs in April were the most by a Mariners’ rookie since 1986.
  • PITCHING: Mariners rank sixth in ERA (3.90), sixth in hits allowed (387), sixth in runs allowed (197), 11th in home runs allowed (53), fifth in walks (137), sixth in strikeouts (351) . . . Felix Hernandez has 17 career no-decisions while throwing 7.0 or more innings and allowing one or fewer runs . . . Closer Brandon League is 0-4 with nine saves and four blown saves.
  • ICHIRO (0-for-4 Saturday) has 768 multi-hit games, which ranks fourth among active players, and No. 1 since his debut in 2001. Ichiro’s 47 games with four or more hits leads all active players . . . Three-hit game April 30 marked the 226th of his major league career . . . Ranks 97th on career hits list (2,483) and needs seven to tie No. 96 Fred McGriff . . . Has recorded 99 outfield assists. Only Jeff Francouer, with 100, has more . . . With 96 career home runs, needs four to become the 12th Mariner with 100. Breakdown: 94 as a leadoff hitter, one batting second, one batting third.
  • ODDS/ENDS: The Mariners will play three games in the next three days. Their next day off is Thursday . . . Mariners have two more bobblehead nights: June 15 (Felix Hernandez), July 28 (Dan Wilson and Randy Johnson).
  • DEBUTS: Munenori Kawasaki (April 7), Lucas Luetge (April 7), Erasmo Ramirez (April 9), Hisashi Iwakuma (April 20).
  • DISABLED LIST: George Sherrill (15-day, April 13, strained flexor bundle), Franklin Gutierrez (15-day, March 28, torn pectoral muscle; plantar fascitis), Adam Moore (15-day, March 28, fractured wrist).
  • EX-MARINERS VS. CURRENT MARINERS: April 19Jack Hannahan, Indians, 2-run single in ninth off Brandon League in Tribe’s 2-1 win; April 28Brandon Morrow, Blue Jays, one earned run over 7.0 innings in 7-0 win; May 11, Raul Ibanez, Yankees, 3-run homer off Felix Hernandez in 6-2 win; May 12Raul Ibanez, Yankees, solo homer off Hector Noesi in 6-2 win; May 15, David Ortiz, Red Sox, solo homer off Blake Beaven in 5-0 Red Sox win; May 16, Shin-Soo Choo (3), Asdrubal Cabrera (2) and Jose Lopez (1) combine for 6 hits in 9-3 Cleveland win; May 17, Casey Kotchman (2), Cabrera (2), Jose Lopez (1), Choo (1) six of Cleveland’s 10 hits, plus 5 RBIs, in a 6-5 win.

2012 RECORDS / MILESTONES

  • April 24: Catcher Miguel Olivo matched the franchise record when he was charged with three passed balls in a 7-4 win at Detroit. Jerry Narron let three balls get by him Oct. 4, 1980, and Jeff Clement did likewise Aug. 10, 2008 (Clement was catching knuckleballer R.A. Dickey).
  • April 27: Michael Saunders joined Donnie Scott (April 29, 1985) and Jimmy Presley (April 8, 1986) as the only Mariners to hit two home runs in a game in the ninth inning or later (solo homer in the 9th, grand slam in the 10th).
  • April 30: When both Miguel Olivo and Jesus Montero homered, it marked the first time in franchise history that two players had homered in the same game as a catcher.
  • May 2: Ichiro set a club record for most putouts by a right fielder in a nine-inning game, registering 10 in a 5-4 loss at Tampa.
  • May 3: The Mariners featured a lineup at Tampa Bay that included seven left- handed hitters and two switch-hitters. It marked only the third time in club history that the Mariners used an all left-sided lineup. Others: Aug. 13, 1983 at California and Aug. 9, 1983 at Oakland.
  • May 5: Combined one-hitter by Felix Hernandez and Steve Delabar vs. Minnesota was the 13th in Mariners history. Ten have been thrown by one pitcher, three combined. Most recent combined: Michael Pineda, Jeff Gray and Brandon League vs. Tampa, July 30, 2011. Most recent by one pitcher: Jarrod Washburn, July 6, 2009.
  • May 9: When John Jaso batted leadoff against Detroit, it marked the first time since 1978 that a catcher had hit first for the Marines (Bob Stinson). Oddly, lefty Jaso led off against Tiger lefty Drew Smyly.
  • May 8: Kevin Millwood’s 2-0 shutout marked his first in nearly nine years. He did not surrender his first hit until there were two outs in the sixth. Millwood’s gem marked only the fourth time in 1,440 games at Coors Field that an opposing pitcher held the Rockies to two hits or less while shutting them out. Millwood’s complete game also was the first by a Mariner in 2012.

MARINERS WON-LOSS BREAKDOWN

Rec. Home Road Day Night vs. RHP vs. LHP Hit HR No HR
21-28 9-12 12-16 6-9 14-21 15-25 6-4 16-12 5-16

MARINERS BATTING PROFILE

Avg. Home Road R HR OBP SLG OPS RISP
.228 .197 .248 183 41 .289 .363 .652 .219

MARINERS PITCHING PROFILE

Rec. ERA IP R ER HR BA OBP SLG
21-28 3.90 433.2 197 187 53 .238 .302 .388

PROBABLE PITCHERS

Date Day Opp. Probable Pitchers
5/27 Sun vs. LAA Hector Noesi (2-5, 5.26) vs. C.J. Wilson (5-4, 2.90)
5/28 Mon at Tex Kevin Millwood (3-4, 3.72) vs. Matt Harrison (5-3, 4.72)
5/29 Tue at Tex Jason Vargas (5-4, 3.39) vs. Scott Feldman (0-2, 4.66)
5/30 Wed at Tex Blake Beavan (2-4, 4.38) vs. Derek Holland (4-3, 4.05)

MARINERS 2012 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

March

Gm.# Date Opp. W/L Rec. Win / Loss
1 3/28 at Oak W, 3-1 1-0 W: Wilhelmsen (1-0); L: Carignan (0-1)
2 3/29 at Oak L, 4-1 1-1 W: Colon (1-0); L: Kelley (0-1)

April

Gm. # Date Opp. W/L Rec. Win / Loss
3 4/6 at Oak W, 7-3 2-1 W: Vargas (1-0); L: McCarthy (0-1)
4 4/7 at Oak W, 8-7 3-1 W: Hernandez (1-0); L: Colon (1-1)
5 4/9 at Tex L, 11-5 3-2 W: Darvish (1-0); L: Noesi (0-1)
6 4/10 at Tex L, 1-0 3-3 W: Feliz (1-0); L: Beavan (0-1)
7 4/11 at Tex W, 4-3 4-3 W: Luetge (1-0); L: Nathan (0-2)
8 4/12 at Tex L, 5-3 4-4 W: Holland (1-0); L: Vargas (1-1
9 4/13 vs Oak L, 4-0 4-5 W: Colon (2-1); L: Hernandez (1-1)
10 4/14 vs. Oak W, 4-0 5-5 W: Noesi (1-1); L: Milone (1-1)
11 4/15 vs. Oak W, 5-3 6-5 W: Beavan (1-1); L: Godfrey (0-2)
12 4/17 vs. Cle L, 9-8 6-6 W: Perez (0-1); L: Furbush (0-1)
13 4/18 vs. Cle W, 4-1 7-6 W: Vargas (2-1); L: Lowe (2-1)
14 4/19 vs. Cle L, 2-1 7-7 W: Tomlin (1-1); L: League (0-1)
15 4/20 vs. CWS L, 7-3 7-8 W: Sale (2-1); L: Noesi (1-2)
16 4/21 vs. CWS L, 4-0 7-9 W: Humber (1-0); Beavan (1-2)
17 4/22 vs. CWS L, 7-4 7-10 W: Danks (2-2); L: Millwood (0-1)
18 4/24 at Det W, 7-4 8-10 W: Vargas (3-1); L: Scherzer (1-2)
19 4/25 at Det W, 9-1 9-10 W: Fernandez (2-1); L: Wilk (0-3)
20 4/26 at Det W, 5-4 10-10 W: Furbush (1-1); L: Porcello (1-2)
21 4/27 at Tor W, 9-5 11-10 W: Furbush (2-1); L: Perez (2-1)
22 4/28 at Tor L, 7-0 11-11 W: Morrow (2-1); L: Millwood (0-2)
23 4/29 at Tor L, 7-2 11-12 W: Alvarez (1-2); L: Vargas (3-2)
24 4/30 at TB L, 3-2 11-13 W: Howell (1-0); L: League (0-2)

May

Gm. # Date Opp. W/L Rec. Win / Loss
25 5/1 at TB L, 3-1 11-14 W: Moore (1-1); L: Noesi (1-3)
26 5/2 at TB L, 5-4 11-15 W: Shields (5-0); L: Beavan (1-3)
27 5/3 at TB L, 4-3 11-16 W: Niemann (2-3); L: Millwood (0-3)
28 5/4 vs. Min L, 3-2 11-17 W: Pavano (2-2); L: Wilhelmsen (1-1)
29 5/5 vs. Min W, 7-0 12-17 W: Hernandez (3-1); L: Marquis (2-1)
30 5/6 vs. Min W, 5-2 13-17 W: Noesi (2-3): L: Blackburn (0-4)
31 5/7 vs. Det W, 3-2 14-17 W: Delabar (1-0); L: Dotel (1-1)
32 5/8 vs. Det L, 6-4 14-18 W: Verlander (3-1); L: Millwood (0-4)
33 5/9 vs. Det W, 2-1 15-18 W: Vargas (4-2); L: Putkoen (0-1)
34 5/11 at NYY L, 6-2 15-19 W: Kuroda (3-4); L: Hernandez (3-2)
35 5/12 at NYY L, 6-2 15-20 W: Hughes (3-4); L: Noesi (2-4)
36 5/13 at NYY W, 6-2 16-20 W: Millwood (1-4); L: Pettitte (0-1)
37 5/14 at Bos L, 6-1 16-21 L: Lester (2-3); L: Vargas (4-3)
38 5/15 at Bos L, 5-0 16-22 W: Beckett (3-4); L: Beavan (1-4)
39 5/16 at Cle L, 9-3 16-23 W: Jimenez (4-3): L: Hernandez (3-3)
40 5/17 at Cle L, 6-5 16-24 W: Smith (4-1); L: League (0-3)
41 5/18 at Col W, 4-0 17-24 W: Millwood (2-4); L: White (0-3)
42 5/19 at Col W, 10-3 18-24 W: Vargas (5-3); L: Friedrich (1-1)
43 5/20 at Col W, 6-4 19-24 W: Beavan (2-4); L: Guthrie (2-2)
44 5/21 vs. Tex W, 6-1 20-24 W: Hernandez (4-3); L: Darvish (6-2)
45 5/22 vs. Tex L, 3-1 20-25 W: Harrison (5-3): L: Noesi (2-5)
46 5/23 vs. Tex W, 5-3 21-25 W: Millwood (3-4); L: Feldman (0-2)
47 5/24 vs. LAA L, 3-0 21-26 W: Haren (2-5); L: Vargas (5-4)
48 5/25 vs. LAA L, 6-4 21-27 W: Isringhausen (1-0); L: League (0-4)
49 5/26 vs. LAA L, 5-3 21-28 W: Williams (5-2); L: Hernandez (4-4)
50 5/27 vs. LAA
51 5/28 at Tex
52 5/29 at Tex
53 5/30 at Tex
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