LDN - Sports

Hernandez, Mariners hand Angels 11th straight loss

[August 16, 2016] ANAHEIM, Calif. -- On the fourth anniversary of his perfect game, the first in the Seattle Mariners' history, right-hander Felix Hernandez reached another personal milestone.

Hernandez earned his 150th career victory Monday night in the Mariners' 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels in front of 35,840 at Angel Stadium.

"Only 150 more and I get to 300," Hernandez said with a smile afterward. "That's the goal."

Hernandez (7-4) amassed eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings, induced 11 groundouts, issued four walks and conceded two runs on four hits. The American League's 2010 Cy Young Award winner retired 11 of 12 batters between the third and seventh innings, striking out six in a row in the process.

The start was Hernandez's sixth since being activated from the disabled list, where he spent seven weeks because of a strained right calf.

"He's starting to get some rhythm going," Seattle manager Scott Servais said. "That was probably the best change-up I've seen him throw. He got quite a few swings and misses with it, and the curveball is starting to come back, too."

The Mariners' 11th victory in 13 games enabled them to remain 5 1/2 games behind the first-place Texas Rangers in the American League West and two games behind the Boston Red Sox, who hold the second wild-card spot.

"We're on a pretty good roll right now," Servais said. "It's been fun. Guys are having a good time within our clubhouse. It's not easy. You've got to find different ways to do it every night. So far, we have."

Right-hander Tom Wilhelmsen pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings of relief with one strikeout, and closer Edwin Diaz added another strikeout while retiring all three batters he faced for his seventh save. Nelson Cruz added his 30th home run of the season.

Mike Trout hit his 23rd home run of the season and stole his 20th base but could not keep the Angels from their 11th consecutive loss, two shy of the team record.

"You have to trust the process," Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. "Right now, we're just not getting enough done. But we will turn this around and we will play better."

The Mariners were trailing 1-0 when they combined two walks and two singles into two runs in the fourth inning against right-hander Ricky Nolasco (4-10).

Cruz and Kyle Seager began the inning with walks. Adam Lind followed with a single that drove Cruz home, then Mike Zunino singled to score Seager.

"I was pretty frustrated with the two walks to lead off the fourth inning," Nolasco said. "I think that was the difference in the game. It's frustrating because that doesn't happen to me too often."

Cruz extended the Mariners' lead to 3-1 in the top of the fifth when he propelled Nolasco's 72-mph curveball over the fence in left-center field.

The Angels narrowed their deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Trout sent Hernandez's 80-mph curveball over the center-field fence, then put the potential tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh.

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Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez (34) pitches against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Buss hit his second double of the game down the right-field line with one out, then Kole Calhoun walked with two outs, and both advanced on a passed ball. Trout then hit a long fly ball to left field against Wilhelmsen. But Nori Aoki caught the ball at the warning track to end the threat.

"When Mike Trout's at the plate and the ball comes off the bat like that in the air, it's not a good feeling," Servais said. "Everybody in our dugout got real quiet. Then they exploded."

Nolasco suffered his fifth loss in his past six decisions and his second since coming to the Angels from the Minnesota Twins on Aug. 1. The right-hander allowed three runs, eight hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings while striking out three and throwing 109 pitches.

Los Angeles had taken its 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second after Seattle failed to score with the bases loaded in the top of the inning.

With two outs, Lind and Zunino hit successive singles before Leonys Martin walked. But Ketel Marte ended the inning by hitting a deep line drive to right fielder Calhoun.

In the bottom of the second, Buss earned his first major league RBI. After Cliff Pennington hit a double on one bounce off the fence in right-center field, Buss hit a ground-rule double down the left-field line. Left fielder Aoki tried to make a sliding backhanded catch but the ball took one bounce into the stands.

NOTES: Seattle owns the American League's best record after the All-Star break at 18-10. ... The Mariners traded INF Luis Sardinas to the San Diego Padres for cash or a player to be named. Sardinas was designated for assignment Wednesday. ... Mariners RHP Steve Cishek started a rehabilitation assignment with Class-A Everett. Cishek went on the disabled list Aug. 2 with a torn labrum in his left hip. ... Los Angeles RHP Garrett Richards resumed throwing Monday more than three months after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament. Richards chose stem-cell therapy over Tommy John surgery, which would have cost him all of next season. ... The Angels' 0-9 road trip that ended Sunday was their worst since May 1969, when the team went 0-10 on the road. ... Angels OF Nick Buss made his first major league start in left field in three years. Buss was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday. ... Angels DH Albert Pujols needs one double to pass Luis Gonzalez and take over 16th place all-time with 597.

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