LDN - Sports

Mariners slip past Angels 4-3

[August 18, 2016] ANAHEIM, Calif. -- For the second time in as many games, the Seattle Mariners faced a late-inning surge from a pesky opponent. Unlike the previous game, however, the Mariners escaped with a victory.

Third baseman Kyle Seager made a game-saving defensive play in the bottom of the ninth inning to ensure a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium.

Leonys Martin drove in a run with a second-inning sacrifice fly and scored the Mariners' final run on Shawn O'Malley's bunt single in the fourth.

Robinson Cano added three hits as Seattle (64-55) used its 12th win in 15 games to remain 6 1/2 games behind the first-place Texas Rangers in the American League West. The Mariners also moved within two games of the Baltimore Orioles in the race for the second AL wild card.

The Angels' Yunel Escobar went 5-for-5, tying a career high in hits, and Albert Pujols drove in his 93rd run of the season, but Los Angeles absorbed its 12th loss in 13 games.

However, the Mariners had to survive a dramatic bottom of the ninth to secure the win.

Cliff Pennington began the inning by lining a single off closer Edwin Diaz. Pennington advanced to second base on a wild pitch, then scored on Escobar's single up the middle.

Diaz struck out Kole Calhoun, but Mike Trout singled up the middle to send Escobar to third, and Trout took second on the throw. Pujols received an intentional walk to load the bases.

"They were ready for my fastball, and they hit it pretty good," said Diaz, whose fastball reached 101 mph. "I was missing with my location and I didn't feel comfortable with my fastball, so I went to my slider and I got pretty confident with it."

After Diaz struck out Jefry Marte, the right-hander came within one pitch of walking the tying run home. On a 3-2 pitch, Andrelton Simmons hit a hard ground ball to Seager, who dived to his right to make the stop at the foul line and threw on one bounce to first baseman Dae-Ho Lee to retire Simmons and end the game.

"Kyle Seager is a Gold Glove third baseman, and he showed it," Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. "He came up big for them tonight. He took hits away in the hole and down the line."

Seager's defense meant that Diaz finally could exhale.

"When I see him get the ball," said the Puerto Rican reliever, "I said, 'We win.'"

Diaz's eighth save preserved the victory for reliever Drew Storen (3-3), who pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings with one strikeout.

Storen relieved right-hander Cody Martin, who made his first start for Seattle and the third of his career one day after being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma. In 4 1/3 innings, Martin gave up two runs, seven hits and two walks and a hit batter while striking out two.

"I was excited," Martin said. "Just that added pressure I put on myself led to some bad pitches. I wasn't commanding the baseball that well. Once I settled down in the middle of the game, it was all good. The way that I pitch came out.".

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Mariners left fielder Shawn O'Malley (36) bunts for to score center fielder Leonys Martin (not pictured) during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

The Mariners broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth inning by turning three hits, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly into two runs against left-hander Tyler Skaggs

Chris Iannetta began the inning with a ground-rule double off the hands of a fan in the right field bleachers. Iannetta went to third base when Leonys Martin lined a single to right field. After Leonys Martin stole second, Ketel Marte hit a sacrifice fly to score Iannetta.

Shawn O'Malley followed with a bunt up the first base line. Skaggs fielded the bunt and underhanded the ball to first baseman Jefry Marte, whose swipe tag missed O'Malley. Leonys Martin scored from second base on the play.

Skaggs (1-2) lasted just 3 1/3 innings. Despite collecting five strikeouts, he allowed four runs, six hits, two walks and one hit batter while throwing 82 pitches.

"We got a lead, but Tyler couldn't make pitches to keep it," Scioscia said. "Tyler had trouble repeating pitches. It's the big leagues, and 82 pitches in 3 1/3 innings is not going to cut it."

The Angels took a 2-0 lead in the first after loading the bases with nobody out. Escobar singled off Lee's glove, Calhoun hit a double on one hop off the fence in right-center field, and Trout got hit by a pitch.

Pujols drove Escobar home with a single over shortstop Ketel Marte's glove. Jefry Marte followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Calhoun and sent Trout to third base, but Pujols was thrown out trying to advance to second on the play.

The Mariners responded in the second with two runs after loading the bases with no outs. Iannetta hit a single off a diving Escobar's glove at third base to bring home Cruz. Leonys Martin followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Seager.

NOTES: Los Angeles placed C Geovany Soto on the disabled list with an inflamed right knee and recalled C Carlos Perez from Triple-A Salt Lake. Soto begins his third stint on the disabled this year list because of knee injuries. ... Mariners 1B Dae-Ho Lee shared second place among American League rookies with 13 home runs and was third with 41 RBIs through Tuesday. He went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts Wednesday. ... Mariners INF Shawn O'Malley started in left field for the seventh time. O'Malley has made 22 of his 35 starts at shortstop. ... The Mariners and Angels have used 13 starting pitchers apiece this season.

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