LA Angels of Anaheim (98-61) at Seattle Mariners (84-75), 10:10 p.m. (ET)

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Seattle Mariners return home still mathematically alive in the race for an American League wild card spot. They are going to need some help, though, if they plan on extending their season past Sunday.

Seattle will try to take a step in that direction on Friday when they begin a three-game series with the American League West champion Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Safeco Field.

The Mariners actually gained some ground in the race on Thursday, as they snapped a five-game losing streak and closed their 11-game road trip with a 7-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Seattle now enters the final weekend two games back of Oakland for the final spot.

"We know we still have hope," catcher Mike Zunino said. "Tough series against the Angels but I think we're ready for it and looking forward to playing them."

Seattle is going to need a big effort from righty Hisashi Iwakuma, who has lost his last three starts. Iwakuma has been awful of late, surrendering 15 runs in 12 innings over the course of the losing streak. He is 14-9 on the year, though, with a 3.54 ERA.

"I don't recall being in a stretch like this for so long," Iwakuma said. "But this is part of your experience. You want to learn from your failures."

Iwakuma is 5-1 in nine games (8 starts) versus the Angels with a 2.73 ERA. However, they rocked him two starts ago to the tune of seven runs in just 3 1/3 innings.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, will counter with right-handed ace Jered Weaver, who has won his last three starts. Weaver beat the Texas Rangers last Saturday, limiting them to three runs in seven innings to run his record to 18-8 to go along with a 3.52 ERA.

Weaver, who has been battling a stomach bug, is 6-1 with a 3.00 ERA in his last eight outings.

He has faced the Mariners 30 times and is 13-9 against them with a 2.49 ERA.

Los Angeles could secure home field advantage throughout the postseason with a win or a Baltimore loss on Friday. The Angels have won 10 of 11 on the road.