#48: Beavan, Santana Face Off At Safeco Friday

GAME: Angels 21-25, 3rd, AL West, – 6.5 GB) at Mariners (21-26, 4th, AL West, – 7.0 GB). GAME #: 48. SERIES: 2nd of 4 games. MEETING: 2nd (Angels lead 1-0). WHEN: Friday, 7:10 p.m., Safeco Field. PROBABLE PITCHERS: RHP Ervin Santana (Los Angeles, 2-6, 4.22) vs. RHP Blake Beavan (Seattle, 2-4, 4.46). STREAKS: Mariners L 1; Angels W 3. TV: ROOT Sports, MLB TV. RADIO: KIRO 710 (Seattle), Mariners Radio Network.

With their 3-0, series-opening loss to the Los Angeles Angels Thursday, the Mariners (21-26) moved back into last place in the AL West, seven games behind the division-leading Texas Rangers. The Mariners will task Blake Beavan with extricating them from the cellar Friday.

Beavan is coming off a 6-4 win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. His opponent, Ervin Santana, had a no-decision in his last start (vs. San Diego) and seeks his 12th career win at Seattle’s expense. A closer look at Friday’s probables:

MARINERS: RHP Blake Beavan (2-4, 4.46 ERA, 1.32 WHIP)

The 23-year-old Beavan, in his second major league season and second with the Mariners, will be making his ninth start and first against the Angels.

A native of Irving, TX., the 6-7, 240-pound Beavan was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the first round (17th pick) of the 2007 amateur draft.

After pitching in the minor leagues from 2008-11, Beavan made his major league debut July 3 against the San Diego Padres. He worked 7 IP, allowed three hits, two walks and one earned run in a 3-1 Seattle victory at Safeco Field.

Beavan became a Mariner July 9, 2010, when the Rangers traded him, along with Matthew Lawson (minors), Josh Lueke and Justin Smoak to Seattle for Cliff Lee, Mark Lowe and cash.

Beavan, who had 15 starts for the Mariners in 2011, will take a career record of 7-10, 4.33 into Friday’s game at Safeco Field.

• LAST START: May 20 at Coors Field, defeated the Rockies 6-4; allowed two runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings; struck out seven, walked one and allowed one home run; threw 82 pitches, 52 for strikes.
• LAST VS. ANGELS: Aug. 29, 2011, took a no-decision in Seattle’s 5-3 win over the Angels; allowed three runs on eight hits in 7.0 innings; no walks or strikeouts.
• CAREER VS. ANGELS: 1-0, 2.53 ERA in three starts, covering 21.1 innings; all six runs earned; three home runs.
• AT SAFECO FIELD: 5-5, 4.62 ERA in 12 starts, covering 74.0 innings; averages 3.6 strikeouts per nine innings; has allowed 13 home runs.
• LOVES TO FACE: Hank Conger (0-for-4, .000 BA), Mike Trout (0-for-2, .000 BA), Howie Kendrick (2-for-9, .222 BA).
• HATES TO FACE: Maicer Izturis (3-for-7, .429 BA), Vernon Wells (3-for-9, .333 BA), Erick Aybar (3-for-10, .300 BA).
• CURRENT ANGELS VS. BEAVAN: 21-for-72, .292 BA, 3 HRs, 2 strikeouts.

Beavan / 2012

• April 12 (L, 0-1): Worked 6.1 innings and allowed one earned run, but couldn’t overcome the start by Texas’ Neftali Feliz, who had eight shutout innings.
• April 15 (W, 1-1): Outdueled Graham Godfrey in a 5-3 win over the Oakland Athletics; three earned runs on six hits over 7.0 innings; seven ground-ball outs and 16 fly-ball outs.
• April 21 (L, 1-2): Loser in Philip Humber’s perfect game at Safeco Field; allowed three runs on seven hits over 6.0 innings; one home run among his 101 pitches, 70 for strikes.
• April 27 (ND, 1-2): Allowed three earned runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings, taking a no-decision in Seattle’s 9-5 win at Toronto.
• May 2 (L, 1-3): Suffered a 5-4 loss to Tampa after allowing five earned runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings; struck out one, walked two and gave up two home runs (Sean Rodriguez, Luke Scott); threw 86 pitches, 51 for strikes.
• May 7 (ND, 1-3): Took a no-decision in a 3-2 Seattle victory over Detroit; left the game in the third inning when struck by a drive from Miguel Cabrera; allowed one earned run on four hits prior to the injury.
• May 15 (L, 1-4): At Fenway Park, was the losing pitcher in Seattle’s 5-0 setback to the Red Sox; struck out four, walked two.
• May 20 (W, 2-4): At Coors Field, defeated the Rockies 6-4; allowed two runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings; struck out seven, walked one and allowed one home run; threw 82 pitches, 52 for strikes.

ANGELS: RHP Ervin Santana (2-6, 4.22 ERA, 1.25 WHIP)

The 29-year-old Santana, in his eighth major league season, all with the Angels, will be making his 10th start and first against the Mariners.

A native of La Romana, Dominican Republic, the 6-2, 185-pound Santana was signed by the Anaheim Angels as an amateur free agent in 2000.

Santana pitched in the Angels minor league system until May 17, 2005, when he made his major league debut in a 13-5 loss to the Cleveland Indians. Santana, the losing pitcher, allowed six earned runs on eight hits in 4.0 innings and gave up two home runs. He also gave up the pitching equivalent of the cycle to the first four batters he faced – a triple to Grady Sizemore, a double to Coco Crisp, a single to Travis Hafner and a home run to Ben Broussard.

Santana went 12-8 over the 2005 season and has been a fixture in the Angels’ rotation since. He has three seasons of at least 16 wins, winning a career-high 17 in 2007.

He made the American League All-Star team in 2008 when he went 16-7, 3.49 ERA.
On July 27, 2011, Santana pitched a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians. He struck out 10, walked one and allowed an unearned run.

• 2012: Santana, who lost his first six decisions, has pitched into the sixth inning in seven starts and allowed at least four earned runs in four of them. He pitched his best game May 15 against Oakland, allowing no earned runs and four hits in 7.0 innings.
• LAST START: May 20 at San Diego, took a no-decision in a 3-2 loss to the Padres; allowed two earned runs on six hits in 6.0 innings; struck out six and walked two.
• LAST VS. SEATTLE: Sept. 6, 2011, lost a 2-1 decision to Felix Hernandez at Angels Stadium; allowed two earned run on seven hits in 6.0 innings; struck out four and walked two; 110 pitches, 68 for strikes.
• CAREER VS. MARINERS: 11-6, 3.56 ERA in 25 games, all starts, covering 162.0 innings; averages 6.3 strikeouts per nine innings; 64 of 66 runs allowed have been earned; 15 home runs.
• AT SAFECO FIELD: 6-4, 3.93 ERA in 12 starts, covering 75.2 innings; has 48 strikeouts to 24 walks; has allowed six home runs.
• LOVES TO FACE: Brendan Ryan (1-for-11, .091 BA, 2 K’s), Michael Saunders (3-for-15, .200 BA), Kyle Seager (2-for-10, .200 BA).
• HATES TO FACE: Ichiro (28-for-80, .350 BA, 2 HRs), Mike Carp (5-for-15, .333 BA), Dustin Ackley (4-for-13, .308 BA), Justin Smoak (3-for-10, .300 BA).
• CURRENT MARINERS VS. SANTANA: 67-for-264, .254 BA, 5 HRs, 54 strikeouts.

AL WEST STANDINGS

MARINERS / STATS NOTES

• CURRENT HOME STAND: Three against Texas Monday-Wednesday, four vs. Los Angeles Angels Thursday-Sunday.

• 

  HOME STAND PROMOTIONS: Friday — Mariners 35th Anniversary Celebration: Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry, who played for the Mariners in 1982-83, will throw out the first pitch . . . Dustin Ackley Bobblehead Night (first 20,000 fans); Saturday — Turn Back The Clock Night (’50s poster); the King’s Court will be in session; Sunday — Little League Day (Justin Smoak Growth Chart; Senior Special Day).

• MARINERS VS. ANGELS: Mariners 230-286 all-time vs. Angels, including 52-62 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: Thursday’s game was the first of 19 between the Mariners and Angels . . . Dan Haren’s shutout was the sixth of his career and the 16th complete game. His 14 strikeouts were a career high. Haren’s win was his 11th against Seattle . . . Albert Pujols’ home run was the 450th of his career. He became, at age 32, the fourth-youngest player in history to reach 450, behind Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr. and Jimmie Foxx . . . The Mariners failed to get a base runner between the second and sixth innings and even when they did, they could do nothing, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position . . . Mariners shut out for the sixth time this year and for the first time since May 15 at Boston . . . Mariners fanned 14 times for the third time this season; struck out a season-high 15 times April 20 vs. Chicago White Sox. Alex Liddi led whiff parade with four . . . Jason Vargas allowed three earned runs over 7.0 innings, his seventh quality start of the season . . . Seattle starters are 5-2, 2.08 ERA over their past eight starts . . . Lucas Luetge has not allowed an earned run in his first 17 MLB appearances (11.2 innings) . . . The Mariners activated Miguel Olivo Thursday and sent Casper Wells to AAA Tacoma. Olivo went 0-for-3 in his return to the lineup, ending his eight-game hitting streak . . . Mariners do not expect OF Franklin Gutierrez, battling plantar fascitis, to return to the team until at least mid-June. The plan is for Gutierrez to work throughout the week with the Mariners, return to Arizona Sunday and play five or six exhibition games in extended spring training, then begin a rehab assignment.
• SEASON SUMMARY: Series Record: Won 7, Split 0, Lost 8 . . . 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: 8-7; vs NL West: 3-0 . . . Biggest Lead: 1.0, April 7; Farthest Behind: 8.5, May 18 . . . Most Runs Scored: 10, May 19 at Colorado; Most Runs Allowed: 11, April 9 at Texas . . . Walk-Off Wins: 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: 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 (176), 12th in hits (362), eighth in doubles (75), first in triples (10) and ninth in home runs (39) . . . Rank 13th in batting average (.230), 13th in on-base percentage (.288), 13th in slugging (.365) and 13th in OPS (.653) . . . batting 83-for-379 (.219) with runners in scoring position after going 0-for-6 Thursday . . . out-homered 50-39 . . . left 284 men on base, opponents 284 . . .scored 176 runs, opponents 180 . . . scored 97 of 174 runs in the first four innings . . . Mariners 18-6 when scoring 4+ runs . . . Mariners have homered in 18 of last 30 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 seventh in ERA (3.85), sixth in hits allowed (368), seventh in runs allowed (186), 10th in home runs allowed (50), fourth in walks (131), fifth in strikeouts (339) . . . Felix Hernandez has 17 career no-decisions while throwing 7.0 or more innings and allowing one or fewer runs . . . Closer Brandon League is 0-3 with nine saves and two blown saves.
• ICHIRO (1-for-4 Thursday) 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 (2,482) and needs eight 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 six games in the next six 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: Miguel Olivo (15-day, May 1, strained right groin), 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 19, Jack Hannahan, Indians, 2-run single in ninth off Brandon League in Tribe’s 2-1 win; April 28, Brandon 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 12, Raul 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

MARINERS BATTING PROFILE

MARINERS PITCHING PROFILE

PROBABLE PITCHERS

MARINERS 2012 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

March

April

May