(Sports Network) - Hard-throwing right-hander Ervin Santana takes another step toward a career-best win total tonight when the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim visit Seattle for the opening game of a three-game series with the Mariners at Safeco Field.
Santana, who won 16 games in both 2006 and 2008, picked up his 13th win of 2010 on Aug. 19 when he allowed four hits and two runs in seven innings of a 7-2 defeat of the Boston Red Sox.
He's won five of his last seven starts, but dropped a 10-3 verdict against Tampa Bay in his last outing on Aug. 24.
The 27-year-old tossed a seven-inning gem against the Mariners on July 18 while allowing three hits and a run, but got a no-decision in a game the Angels lost, 2-1.
He split a pair of decisions against Seattle earlier in 2010, taking an 8-1 loss on May 9 and earning an 11-2 win on June 5 while combining to allow 17 hits and six runs in 12 2/3 innings.
Santana is 7-4 lifetime against the Mariners and 6-5 in 12 road starts this season.
For the Mariners, righty David Pauley makes his second career start against the Angels.
The 27-year-old, who debuted in the majors with the Boston Red Sox in 2006 and 2008, has split time between the bullpen and starting with the Mariners this season, making four straight starts since his most recent relief role on Aug. 4.
He was a 5-3 loser at Boston on Aug. 25 after allowing six hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings, ending a two-start win streak in which he beat Cleveland and Baltimore while allowing 12 hits and six runs in 12 innings.
Pauley is winless in six home appearances -- four starts -- this season while giving up 20 hits and seven earned runs in 23 2/3 innings.
On Sunday in Anaheim, Jeremy Guthrie came within two outs of his first career shutout and Matt Wieters knocked in the lone run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning, as Baltimore posted a 1-0 victory to complete its first-ever season sweep of the Angels.
Guthrie's counterpart, Jered Weaver (11-10), pitched eight strong innings, striking out 11 and scattering five hits.
In Seattle, Luke French tossed seven strong innings to help the Mariners take a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Twins in the finale of a three-game set.
French (3-4) was charged with just one run on three hits with a walk and four strikeouts for the Mariners, who had dropped six of seven coming into the contest. Franklin Gutierrez went 2-for-3 with an RBI while Adam Moore drove in the winning run.
The Angels have won eight of their past nine games versus the Mariners to take a 10-3 edge in the season series. That includes victories in five of six at Seattle, where Los Angeles swept a three-game set from June 4-6.