LDN - Sports

Nine-run second propels Mariners past Angels

[September 03, 2016] SEATTLE -- Having escaped a car accident two nights earlier, Mike Trout approached his first at-bat Friday in typical fashion. The Los Angeles Angels star delivered a three-run homer on the first pitch that he saw.

If only he could have finished the same way.

Trout's final at-bat, during an improbable four-run ninth inning, resulted in a fly out to center field as the Seattle Mariners held on to beat the Angels 11-8.

Seattle turned to closer Edwin Diaz to get the final out of the game, and Trout worked the count full before flying out off the end of his bat to strand two runners on base.

"To take a positive tonight, we fought to the end and had a chance in the ninth," he said. "That's what you want."

For the third time in his past four games at Safeco Field, Trout gave the Angels (59-75) a 3-0 lead with a three-run homer in the top of the first inning. Remarkably, Los Angeles has gone on to lose all three games.

"That's baseball," Trout said with a shrug. "They came back and battled."

The Mariners used a nine-run second inning and held on, snapping a five-game losing streak. Seattle (69-65) had six of its 11 hits in the second inning while overcoming an early 4-0 deficit. The Mariners had 14 batters while taking a 10-4 lead in a nine-run inning that didn't include an extra-base hit.

"It was a good offensive night," Seattle manager Scott Servais said. "We put some great at-bats together in the second inning."

Seattle slugger Nelson Cruz added his 33rd home run with a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth inning.

The Angels tagged on four runs in the top of the ninth, forcing Seattle to turn to Diaz to finish the win. Diaz came on with two outs and two runners on, and he got Trout to fly out to center field to finish the win.

"We couldn't put the final nail in the coffin," said Servais, whose team went into the ninth inning with a seemingly comfortable 11-4 lead. "But we got the win. We needed the win."

Mariners starter Ariel Miranda (2-1) overcame a rough first inning for his first win as a major-league starter. The rookie's only other victory came after he gave up the go-ahead run in a relief role, only to get the win after a Seattle comeback. The left-hander pitched six innings Friday, allowing four runs and five hits.

Los Angeles starter Brett Oberholtzer (1-1) didn't fare nearly as well. He allowed five runs, three hits and three walks in one inning. Oberholtzer pitched to four batters in the second but didn't register an out.

"I walked the leadoff batter (in the first) and it just started to snowball from there," Oberholtzer said.

The performance left manager Mike Scioscia wondering what to do about his rotation moving forward.

"Tough start. We spotted (Oberholtzer) four runs, and he walked the first hitter and never really established his command," Scioscia said. "Obviously, not the start we were looking for or (what) he was looking for."

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The Angels (59-75) had their five-game winning streak snapped.

Los Angeles took a 4-0 lead on first-inning home runs by Trout and Jefry Marte but didn't score again until breaking out for four hits and two runs in the top of the ninth.

Pinch-hitter Juan Graterol, making his major-league debut in the ninth, had an RBI double in his first career at-bat after 527 games played in the minor leagues. Kole Calhoun added a two-run single as the Angels pulled within three runs before Diaz came out of the bullpen. Trout worked the count full before flying out to end the game

Trout, who was making his first appearance since being involved in the minor car accident late Wednesday night, went 1-for-3 with two walks and his 26th home run of the season.

Seattle shortstop Ketel Marte had two hits and three RBIs, and teammate Dae-Ho Lee added three hits and two RBIs. The 11 runs by the Mariners were the most they scored in a game since a 14-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on July 23.

The Mariners overcame another early home run from Trout to open a 10-4 lead after just two innings. Seattle's nine-run second inning chased Oberholtzer and featured six singles and five walks in 14 plate appearances.

"My pitch count ran high and I couldn't get out of the second," Oberholtzer said.

Lee and Marte, two of the five Seattle players who batted twice in the second inning, each had two-run singles during the nine-run inning. Marte drove in three runs with two singles in the inning.

Oberholtzer gave up two singles and two walks without getting an out in the second. In one official inning, he allowed five runs off three hits before former starter Jhoulys Chacin took over and faced 10 batters before he got out of the inning.

NOTES: Los Angeles activated 3B Yunel Escobar from the disabled list before the game. Escobar was in the leadoff spot for the Angels. ... Mariners RF Ben Gamel, who was acquired from the Yankees in a Thursday trade, made his debut with the team while batting leadoff Friday night. ... Seattle added C Jesus Sucre to the expanded roster, recalling him from Triple-A Tacoma. ... Los Angeles recalled C Juan Graterol and LHP Cody Ege and selected RHP Andrew Bailey from Triple-A Salt Lake. ... Angels starter Brett Oberholzer entered Friday's game with a 4-0 record and 0.75 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against Seattle. His career marks were 4-1 and 2.52 after the lackluster outing.

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