Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez has been scratched from Wednesday night's scheduled start because of lower-back pain, Manager Eric Wedge announced after Monday night's game, but that is not necessarily a good thing for the Angels.
The Angels have actually fared well against the 2010 American League Cy Young Award winner, who has a 6-10 career record and 3.80 earned run average in 26 career starts against the Angels and is 2-5 with a 3.06 ERA in 13 starts in Angel Stadium.
On May 26 at Safeco Field, Alberto Callaspo hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the sixth inning of Hernandez to give the Angels a 5-3 victory over the Mariners.
Right-hander Hector Noesi, who allowed three runs and five hits in eight innings of a 4-2 loss to the Angels in Seattle on May 27, will now start Wednesday night for the Mariners.
--Mike DiGiovanna
