#51: ‘Pinata’ Pitchers Take Stage At Safeco Monday

GAME: Padres (22-27, 4th, NL West, -5.5 GB) at Mariners (21-29, 4th, AL West, -11.0 GB). GAME #: 51. SERIES: 1st of 2 games. MEETING: 1st (Padres won 2012 series 5-1). WHEN: Monday, 1:10 p.m., Safeco Field. STREAKS: Mariners W 1; Padres L 1. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network

Mariners fans have seen several marquee pitching matchups this season, but Monday’s doesn’t figure to be one of them. Seattle’s starter, Aaron Harang, sports a 1-5 record and 8.58 ERA. The San Diego hurler, Clayton Richard, checks in at 0-4, 8.54. Harang has allowed 27 earned runs in 28.1 innings, Richard 25 in 26.1.

If Harang botches this start, it could be his last for Seattle. He has been provided ample opportunity to become a key, back-of-the-rotation starter for the Mariners, but as his record suggests he isn’t getting it done. He will have one thing going for him Monday, the little bit of momentum the Mariners picked up Sunday when they outlasted the Texas Rangers 4-3 in 13 innings, which ended with a Jason Bay walk-off single.

The batting-challenged Mariners should find Harang’s opposite an inviting target Monday. He’s allowed 16 earned runs in his past four starts and is walking a tight rope with San Diego as thin as the one Harang is walking with the Mariners. A closer look:

MONDAY’S PROBABLES

MARINERS: RHP Aaron Harang (1-5, 8.58 ERA, 1.55 WHIP)

The 31-year-old Harang, a San Diego native in his 12th major league season and first with the Mariners, will make his seventh start and first against the Padres. Harang doesn’t have many outings left — this might be the last one — to prove he belongs in Seattle’s rotation. He’s given up 27 earned runs in 28.1 innings and is coming off a 12-0 shellacking administered by the L.A. Angels.

• LAST START: May 21 at Anaheim, lost 12-0; 7 earned runs on 9 hits in 3.2 innings; 4 strikeouts, 0 walks, 2 home runs, 70 pitches, 46 for strikes.

• LAST VS. PADRES: Sept. 26, 2012, won 8-2; 0 earned runs, 4 hits, 3 strikeouts, 4 walks, 0 home runs, 100 pitches, 63 for strikes.

• CAREER VS. PADRES: 5-5, 3.75 ERA in 16 games, including 15 starts, covering 100.2 innings; 94 strikeouts, 38 walks, 9 home runs, 1.24 WHIP.

• AT SAFECO FIELD: 2-3, 2.88 ERA in six starts covering 34.1 innings; 29 strikeouts, 9 walks, 3 home runs, 0.96 WHIP.

• LOVES TO FACE: Logan Forsythe (1-for-8, .125), Alexi Amarista (1-for-7, .143), Jesus Guzman (1-for-6, .167).

• HATES TO FACE: John Baker (6-for-15, .400), Everth Cabrera (4-for-10, .400), Yasmani Grandal (3-for-8, .375).

• CURRENT PADRES VS. HARANG: 38-for-145, .262 ERA, 28 strikeouts, 17 walks, 5 home runs, .341 on-base percentage.

PADRES: LHP Clayton Richard (0-4, 8.54 ERA, 2.05 WHIP)

The 29-year-old Richard, a Lafayette, IN., native in his sixth major league season and fifth with San Diego, will make his seventh start and first against the Mariners. Richard has allowed at least five earned runs in four of his six starts with 25 ERs allowed in 26.1 innings overall. He’s lost his last four starts with 16 earned runs allowed over that span.

• LAST START: May 4 vs. Arizona, lost 8-1; 7 earned runs on 7 hits in 3.2 innings; 3 strikeouts, 4 walks, 1 home run, 77 pitches, 45 for strikes.

• LAST VS. MARINERS: June 22, 2012, won 9-5 at Petco Park; 3 earned runs on 6 hits in 6.2 innings; 6 strikeouts, 0 walks, 2 home runs, 102 pitches, 71 for strikes.

• CAREER VS. MARINERS: 4-1, 2.33 ERA in 6 starts covering 38.2 innings; 23 strikeouts, 10 walks, 3 home runs, 1.24 WHIP.

• AT SAFECO FIELD: 2-0, 1.29 ERA in 2 starts covering 14.0 innings; 9 strikeouts, 1 walk, 0 home runs, 1.14 WHIP.

• LOVES TO FACE: Kyle Seager (0-for-6, .000), Raul Ibanez (1-for-9, .111), Dustin Ackley (1-for-7, .143).

• HATES TO FACE: Michael Saunders (3-for-3, .667), Michael Morse (3-for-9, .333), Jason Bay (2-for-7, .286).

• CURRENT MARINERS VS. RICHARD: 25-for-82, .302 BA, 15 strikeouts, 6 walks, 2 home runs, .356 on-base percentage.

MARINERS STATS / NOTES

• CURRENT HOME STAND: Three vs. Texas (Friday-Sunday), two vs. San Diego (Monday-Tuesday). Following the home stand, the Mariners will play two at San Diego (Wednesday-Thursday) and three at Minnesota (Friday-Sunday). The Mariners are amid 20 games in 20 days with their next day off June 13.
• By winning Sunday, the Mariners snapped their longest losing streak — eight games — since 2011 when they dropped 17 in a row.
• Kendrys Morales has hit safely in his last six games, batting .481, and is hitting .405 with runners in scoring position.
• Hisashi Iwakuma, who did not factor in the decision Sunday, has not lost a game in which he has pitched at least 6.1 innings.
• Raul Ibanez has nine home runs this season, including seven in his past 11 contests.
• Dustin Ackley went 0-for-5 Sunday and is in a 0-for-19 slide. He is batting .205, three points less than what Jesus Montero was hitting when the Mariners shipped him to Tacoma last week.
• First baseman Justin Smoak was out of the lineup Sunday with a strained oblique and is listed as day-to-day.
• The victory by Yoervis Medina Sunday was the first of his major league career.
• The Mariners are 5-3-1 in their past nine series after losing three straight series.
• Mariners are 2-4 in extra-innings game this season.

UPCOMING PROBABLES