Ken Griffey Jr. isn' playing with lefty Joe Saunders starting for the Angels, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been heard from today.

In the pre-game clubhouse, he broke up the team by coming up with a nickname for shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt.

"Star Wars."

Why?

By way of explaination, Junior jumped to his feet and began wielding his bat like a sword - or a light saber - and swinging it high, then low, but always wildly.

Before he was done, even Betancourt was laughing.

Junior's kept 'em loose. Now let's see how they play.

It's Erik Bedard vs. Saunders. We're off.

A big fly

Bedard started well. Fly ball out. Fly ball out. Long, long fly ball ...

Juan Rivera's two-out solo home run means the Mariners will need at least two runs to win tonight.

In the first: Angels 1, Mariners 0

The Streak lives

Ichiro's leadoff single extended his hitting streak to 15 games, though he was quickly erased when Adrian Beltre banged into a double play.

His longest streak? Ichiro hit in 25 consecutive games in 2007.

A big fly II

Leading off the third inning, Gary Matthews Jr. hit his first home run of the season, another solo shot.

For Bedard, who missed his last start with an inflamed hamstring, that's two home runs in the first run through the Angels lineup.

In the third: Angels 2, Mariners 0

Those running Mariners

Bedard has held the Angels to a pair of runs on two hits - both homers - into the fifth inning.

He's losing because the Mariners offense still isn't producing. In fact, the Mariners have one hit, and that was Ichiro's leadoff single.

From the dugout, manager Don Wakamatsu is trying to push his team toward the scoreboard by running every time he has the chance. So far, that means Ichiro has a stolen base and first baseman Branyan Russell swiped another afer a fourth inning walk.

No matter. Saunders is still dealing a shutout.

What was that?

Jose Lopez and Yuniesky Betancourt opened the fifth with singles, both hit to the opposite field, but Franklin Gutierrez - after missing on a bunt try - popped out.

That brought up the slumping Beltre, batting .198. Ichiro took off for second base, was caught in a rundown, and the Angels eventually tagged Lopez out trying to score.

After five: Angels 2, Mariners 0

Morrow went two perfect innings and gave way to Garrett Olson, who got the first two batters he faced.

The third - No. 9 hitter Howie Kendrick - homered into the second deck in left field.

The Angels have three hits now, all home runs. The Mariners have four hits, all singles.

In the eighth: Angels 3, Mariners 0

That's all, folks
Former Mariner Brian Fuentes on the mound, and the outs came quickly in the ninth.
Balentien, fly ball. Branyan singled. Kenji Johjima, pop fly. Lopez, ground ball.

Fuentes: save No. 11.

Final score: Angels 3, Mariners 0

There has been some talk about the possibility of the San Diego Padres trading for shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt.

One of the players mentioned as a possible swap is outfielder Chase Headley. The former second-round pick was perhaps one of the Padres best hitting prospects. But finding him a position to play in the field was a problem. They've moved to him to left field. He's started the bulk of the game there ... and that's where he's going to stay for the Padres.

I talked to a source close to the Padres, who said that Headley is off the table for trades. It makes sense, why would they give up a solid and emerging hitter and a guy under club control for the next few years, for a high-priced underachieving and regressing shortstop?

And infielder Matt Antonelli? That isn't absurd, but my source said that picking up Betancourt and his contract just doesn't make sense for a team trying to dump payroll (see every trade rumor surrounding Jake Peavy) and is in the process of changing owners.

Betancourt is owed $3 million in 2010, $4 million in 2011 and has a $6 million club option in 2012 with a $2 million buyout.

Yuni may be traded, but it won't be for Chase Headley.