|
 Perez's homer came in his major league debut, the catcher having
been called up one day earlier from Triple-A Salt Lake. It marked
the first walk-off homer by a player making his major league debut
since Miguel Cabrera did it for the Marlins on June 20, 2003.
The homer, off Mariners reliever Dominic Leone, snapped the Angels'
four-game losing streak. Angels reliever Huston Street (1-0) pitched
one scoreless inning to get the win.
Stifled for seven innings by Angels starter Garrett Richards, the
Mariners broke through against reliever Joe Smith in the eighth
inning with four hits, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead.
But the Angels, likewise held in check by Mariners starter James
Paxton, took advantage of the Mariners bullpen in the bottom of the
eighth, scoring twice to tie the game at 4-4.
Paxton went seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits and three
walks (one intentional). Richards also went seven, giving up one run
on five hits and two walks (one intentional).
A two-run homer by Angels first baseman in the first inning off
Paxton stood up for seven innings, but the Mariners rallied in the
eighth inning.
Smith relieved Richards to start the inning, entrusted to hold a 2-1
lead. But second baseman Robinson Cano got the inning started with a
leadoff double, and scored one out later on a single by third
baseman Kyle Seager, a grounder to right field through a drawn-in
infield.
First baseman Logan Morrison followed with his third hit of the
night, a single to center, and catcher Mike Zunino put the Mariners
in front with a ground-rule double to right, scoring Seager to make
it 3-2. That spelled the end for Smith, but the Mariners added
another run when right-hander Fernando Salas gave up a sacrifice fly
to left fielder Dustin Ackley.
Because the Angels bullpen couldn't hold the lead, Richards was
denied what would have been his third win in a row.
The Angels, though, rallied in the bottom of the eighth against
Mariners right-hander Danny Farquhar. Pujols got the rally started
with a one-out single, and third baseman David Freese walked.
Shortstop Erick Aybar and second baseman Johnny Giavotella followed
with back-to-back RBI singles, tying the game at 4.
The key inning for Richards was the sixth, after the Mariners had
Cano on second base with two out. Richards intentionally walked
Morrison, but then hit Zunino with a pitch, loading the bases.
[to top of second column] |
With Ackley batting, Richards fell behind in the count 3-0, but
threw three consecutive strikes, getting Ackley looking on a 97-mph
fastball on the inside corner at the knees to end the inning.
Despite having made 101 pitches through six innings, Richards was
allowed to go out for the seventh inning, and he retired the side in
order, finishing up at 114 pitches.
The Angels struck first, scoring two runs in the first inning when
right fielder Kole Calhoun singled and first baseman Albert Pujols
hit a two-run homer, swinging on a 3-0 count against Mariners lefty
James Paxton.
It was Pujols' fifth homer of the season and 525th of his career.
The Mariners got one run back in the second inning, when first
baseman Morrison hit a one-out double and Zunino followed with an
RBI single to center. Morrison barely beat center fielder Mike
Trout's throw, sliding ahead of the tag of Perez.
NOTES: The Angels hope C Carlos Perez, obtained from the Astros in
the offseason trade for C Hank Conger, can provide some sorely
needed offense from the catching position. He was hitting .361
(26-for-72) with 12 RBIs for the Bees. ... With his home run Monday,
Mariners OF Nelson Cruz became the fifth player in major league
history to hit at least 14 home runs through his club's first 26
games. Cruz began play Tuesday on pace to hit 87 homers. ... The
Mariners entered the game with 34 homers, second most in the
American League. However, 27 of them came with no runners on base.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
