Martin carries Mariners past Angels

[September 13, 2016]  ANAHEIM, Calif. -- For most of major league baseball, the playoffs will begin in three weeks. For the Seattle Mariners, they start this month.

Leonys Martin tied a team record with three doubles, scored twice and finished 4-for-4 in the Seattle Mariners' 8-1 rout of the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium.

Robinson Cano added three hits, including his 33rd home run of the season, and Ben Gamel hit his first major league homer as Seattle used its sixth successive victory to move into second place in the American League West by one game over the Houston Astros.

The Mariners continue to trail the first-place Texas Rangers by 9 1/2 games in the division but moved within 2 1/2 games of the Baltimore Orioles, who hold the second wild-card spot. Seven teams were within seven games of the two wild-card spots as play began Monday.

"In the position we're in, we have to play every game like a playoff game," Martin said. "This month of the season is going to be hard. It's going to be a fight for at least five team."

Left-hander Ariel Miranda pitched six shutout innings to earn his third win in as many starts. In six innings, Miranda (4-1) permitted just three hits and one walk while collecting three strikeouts.

"He's got a lot of confidence," Martin said. "In our position, it's not easy for a rookie to go out there and compete. But he's not afraid."

Right-hander Ricky Nolasco suffered his seventh loss in his past eight decisions, a streak that began before the Minnesota Twins sent him to Los Angeles at the trading deadline.

Nolasco (5-14) retired 11 of 12 batters between the third and sixth innings but in six-plus innings, the right-hander allowed four runs, six hits, one walk, one hit batsman and one wild pitch while striking out three.

"I'm just trying to eat up as many innings as I can every start," Nolasco said. "I feel good with the way I'm throwing the ball. I feel strong."

The Mariners took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Martin hit a double down the left field line, moved to third base on a wild pitch and scored on Mike Zunino's single to right field.

In the top of the third, Cano used his 33rd home run of the season to extend Seattle's advantage to 2-0. Cano hit a high 90 mph fastball from Nolasco down the right field line. Right fielder Kole Calhoun tried to make a backhanded catch while jumping against the short fence but a fan in the first row of the stands caught the ball.

Mariners center fielder Leonys Martin (let) and left fielder Ben Gamel (16) get high-fives as they return to the dugout after scoring on Gamel's 2-run home run in the 8th inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

The Angels put the potential tying runs on base in the bottom of the third. Gregorio Petit doubled off the right field wall with one out, then took third on a passed ball before Calhoun walked with two out. But Mike Trout hit into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

Seattle added four runs in the top of the seventh by combining three hits, a hit batter, a balk and an error. Nori Aoki hit a two-run single, Ketel Marte scored on the balk and Aoki came home on shortstop Cliff Pennington's throwing error.

Los Angeles broke the shutout in the seventh on Pennington's run-scoring single. But in the eighth, Gamel sent an 89 mph fastball from left-hander Brett Oberholtzer over the left field fence for a two-run home run, his first as a major-leaguer.

NOTES: Emmylou Harris sang the national anthem. ... Seattle recalled 1B Dan Vogelbach, INF Mike Freeman and RHP Cody Martin from Triple-A Tacoma. ... Mariners 1B Adam Lind did not make the starting lineup after spraining his right index finger Sunday. Manager Scott Servais said Lind would be out three or four days. ... Mariners 1B Dae-Ho Lee needs one home run to match the major league record for South Korean rookies. Pittsburgh Pirates 3B Jung Ho Kang hit 15 last year. ... Los Angeles SS Andrelton Simmons was a late scratch. INF Cliff Pennington replaced Simmons and batted seventh. ... Angels DH Albert Pujols needs one home run to become the fourth player in major league history to hit at least 30 homers in 14 seasons. Pujols would match Barry Bonds. Alex Rodriguez and Hall of Famer Hank Aaron each had 15 seasons with at least 30 home runs.

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