MLB

• Angels turn to Santana against Mariners

  
  

  (Sports Network) - Ervin Santana takes aim at his third win of the season this evening when the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim continue their three-game series with the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium.

  With Los Angeles' top starters sidelined with injuries, Santana has been a pleasant surprise for Mike Scioscia's club, going 2-0 with a 3.32 earned run average through his first three starts. Santana picked up the win on Monday against the Texas Rangers, as he allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings.

  Santana has faced off with the Mariners seven times in his career and the right-hander has posted a 3-2 mark to go along with a 5.73 ERA.

  Seattle will counter with veteran left-hander Jarrod Washburn, who spent the first eight years of his career in Anaheim before signing a free agent deal with the M's prior to the start of the 2006 campaign. Washburn is 4-2 lifetime against his former team with a 4.26 ERA in seven starts.

  Washburn was tagged with the loss in his most recent trip to the hill on Monday against Kansas City, but pitched well in defeat. The 33-year-old hurler surrendered three runs and six hits in six innings, but fell to 1-2 on the year to go along with a 3.50 ERA. He has not allowed more than three runs in any of his three starts this season.

  In the opener of this set on Friday, Torii Hunter tied a team record with three doubles, drove in three runs and robbed Richie Sexson of the go-ahead homer, possibly his third round-tripper of the night, to record the final out of the game, as Los Angeles eked out a 5-4 win.

  Hunter played despite being involved in a car accident before the game. His new Bentley was rear-ended at a stop light near the stadium.

  Joe Saunders (3-0) threw eight solid innings, allowing six hits and four runs to get the victory. Francisco Rodriguez closed the door for his seventh save, as the Angels won for the fifth time in six games.

  R.A. Dickey (0-1) was charged with eight hits and five runs over six innings and suffered the loss.

  Sexson had a three-run homer and a solo shot, but the Mariners had a three- game winning streak stopped.

  Signed to a five-year, $90 million deal in the offseason, Hunter also showed off his expert defense that's won him seven straight Gold Glove awards.

  Adrian Beltre singled with one out in the ninth, and after Jose Vidro flied out, Sexson sent a ball to deep center. Hunter backed up and leaped to pull the ball back in play and end the game in incredible fashion.

  Seattle took two of three from the Angels last weekend, but is 17-25 in the series since the start of the 2006 campaign.

  04/19 10:51:08 ET