Angels rally to beat Mariners 9-8

[June 01, 2009]  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Kendry Morales capped a three-run ninth inning with a bases-loaded RBI single and the Los Angeles Angels overcame a seven-run deficit to beat the Seattle Mariners 9-8 on Sunday and avoid a three-game sweep.

Seattle closer David Aardsma (1-2), who had converted all eight of his save chances and hadn't allowed a run in his previous 14 1-3 innings, failed to protect an 8-6 lead for starter Garrett Olson.

The seven-run deficit was the largest the Angels have overcome in a victory since July 15, 1996 at Texas.

Justin Speier (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory. Torii Hunter and Mike Napoli helped trigger the comeback with home runs.

Less than 24 hours after Angels closer Brian Fuentes blew a 3-0 lead by giving up a tying three-run homer to Jose Lopez, the Halos returned the favor to Aardsma. They parlayed four walks -- one intentional -- and two hits including a two-out bloop RBI single by Vladimir Guerrero that landed just inside the right field line.

Morales, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth, ended it with a single to left on a 2-2 pitch.

Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki extended his hitting streak to 24 games with four hits including a home run, and Endy Chavez also went deep for the Mariners.

Suzuki's hitting streak is the longest in the majors at the moment, and one game shy of the franchise record he set in 2007. The two-time AL batting champ finished this month with a .377 average. His .365 career percentage in May is the highest by any player since 1955.

The miracle finish got Angels starter Ervin Santana off the hook, after he gave up eight runs and 10 hits over 5 1-3 innings. It was his fourth start after missing the first 32 games of the campaign because of a sprained right elbow.

Olson allowed five runs and five hits over 5 1-3 innings in his third start of the season after being staked to an 8-1 lead. Guerrero's two-out double in the first inning was the only hit off the left-hander until the fifth, when Napoli homered with two out.

Suzuki's fifth homer and Ken Griffey Jr.'s sacrifice fly helped Seattle take that seven-run cushion in the sixth. The Angels narrowed the gap to 8-5 in the bottom half on Bobby Abreu's RBI single, Guerrero's sacrifice fly and a two-run homer by Hunter on Olson's 65th and final pitch.

The Halos got a run closer in the seventh with another RBI single by Abreu after Chone Figgins singled and stole second.

The Mariners had two runners thrown out at the plate in the eighth -- Suzuki on a grounder to shortstop Erick Aybar with the infield in, and Adrian Beltre on a double to right field by Griffey after Abreu relayed the ball to second baseman Howie Kendrick.

Notes: Figgins, whose 258 stolen bases are an Angels franchise record, became the first player in club history to steal at least 20 in six consecutive seasons. He led the majors with 62 in 2005, eight off the team record Mickey Rivers set in 1975. ... Hunter, who leads the Angels with 42 RBIs, finished this month with 26 -- two short of the Angels record for May, which was set by Mo Vaughn in 1999. ... Guerrero's double was his first extra base hit in 22 at-bats after returning from the disabled list.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.