Dominic Canzone 'in a really good spot' as M's continue series with Nationals

Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson liked what he saw from his team Friday night -- especially the hot-hitting Dominic Canzone -- and will look for a repeat performance on Saturday afternoon in the second game of a three-game series against the host Washington Nationals.

Seattle took the series opener 10-2, and Canzone homered for the second straight game. He added a triple, giving him six extra-base hits over an 11-game stretch.

"Taking advantage of mistakes," Wilson said. "I thought that the pitch tonight, the triple, was up in the zone, and he was able to jump all over it. He's getting good pitches, and when he gets them, he's putting a good swing on them. ... His timing's right on. He's in a really good spot."

Since June 1, Canzone is batting .406 (13-for-32) with a 1.237 OPS, three home runs, six RBIs and seven runs.

On the mound Saturday, Seattle's Luis Castillo (2-5, 5.16 ERA) will oppose fellow right-hander Cade Cavalli (3-4, 3.88).

June also has been kind to Castillo, 33, who has turned his season around of late.

Over his first nine starts, he pitched to a 6.34 ERA. In his past four appearances -- two in relief -- he has a 2.12 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 17 innings. Last Sunday, he gave up one run on two hits in 5 2/3 innings of a no-decision against the Detroit Tigers in a 5-4 loss.

"I thought [Castillo] had things well under control," Wilson said afterward. "He really kept [the Tigers] pretty quiet for the time he was out there and allowed our offense to get going a little bit."

Castillo is 1-5 with a 4.43 ERA in seven career starts vs. the Nationals, for whom Cavalli had strung together five strong starts before taking a step back the last time out. In a 5-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, he gave up four runs on seven hits (two home runs) over five innings.

The 27-year-old has never faced the Mariners.

Seattle jumped on Washington starter Zack Littell for five runs in the second inning Friday night and added on late to snap a mini skid at two games. Colt Emerson and Josh Naylor also homered in support of Bryce Miller's impressive eight-inning effort (he gave up two runs and four hits). It was the third home run in the past eight games for Emerson, a 20-year-old rookie.

Jhonny Pereda singled, extending his hitting streak to seven games. Randy Arozarena, whose single started Seattle's second-inning surge, left the game with a hamstring strain after attempting to leg out an infield hit and lunging for first base in the third inning. Wilson said his left fielder is day-to-day.

James Wood and Dylan Crews homered for the Nationals, who have lost two straight and were opening a six-game homestand at Nationals Park, where they are 12-21.

Wood is sixth in the majors with 19 home runs and has reached base safely in 24 of his last 26 games.

Washington mustered just four hits on Friday.

"When you give up a five-spot in the second inning, it's tough to battle back from that," Nationals manager Blake Butera said. "Miller's a really good arm for them, and he did a really good job of keeping us off balance. He just has really good stuff."

--Field Level Media