PREVIEW: Mariners at Athletics

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — The Seattle Mariners and Athletics open a three-game series Monday night at Sutter Health Park, with the Athletics looking to extend their recent head-to-head dominance against a slumping Seattle club.

Seattle (25-29) enters the 7:07 p.m. PT contest having lost four of its past five games, including an 8-6 defeat Sunday at Kansas City. The Mariners will send right-hander Luis Castillo (1-5, 4.62 ERA) to the mound. Castillo is winless in his past five starts and has struggled with run support, receiving two or fewer runs in four of his outings this season.

Oakland (27-26) comes home after taking two of three from San Diego, capped by a 5-2 victory Sunday. Left-hander Jacob Lopez is a player to watch for the Athletics. In his most recent start Sunday, Lopez allowed one earned run over 4 2/3 innings against the Padres, striking out three. Over his past three starts, Lopez has posted a 3.60 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings.

Seattle third baseman Colt Emerson leads the Mariners’ offense after a 4-for-4 performance Sunday that included one RBI. The rookie is hitting .364 over his past two games but has struggled otherwise, going 1 for 13 in his four previous contests. The Mariners have lost seven of their past 10 games and sit 4 1/2 games behind first-place Texas in the AL West.

The Athletics have won five of their past seven games and are 10-7 at Sutter Health Park this season. won two of three in Seattle from April 20-22, outscoring the Mariners 15-11 in that series.

The Interstat game simulator projects a 5-3 Athletics victory. Despite that projection, Seattle opened as a -1.5 run-line favorite. The over/under is 10 runs.

Following Monday’s opener, the teams continue the series Tuesday and Wednesday before the Mariners return home to face Arizona and the Athletics host the New York Yankees.