Angels 5, Mariners 4
Zack Greinke struck out 13 in five innings and host Los Angeles fanned 20 overall to match the major-league record for a nine-inning game while beating Seattle.
Torii Hunter hit a two-run homer, Erick Aybar added a solo shot and Ernesto Frieri struck out two in the ninth for his 21st save as the Angels remained two games behind the Oakland Athletics in the race for the American League’s second wild card.
Greinke (6-2) allowed one run and seven hits in five innings and was removed after throwing 110 pitches. He is the first pitcher since 1920 to strike out 13 batters in an outing of no more than five frames. It is the fourth time there have been 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game, with Roger Clemens accomplishing the feat twice and Kerry Wood once.
Justin Smoak hit two homers for Seattle, a solo shot in the fourth while batting left-handed and a two-run blast in the seventh while hitting from the right side that pulled the Mariners within 5-4. Smoak is only the fourth Seattle player to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game.
Hunter hit his two-run blast in the fifth off Erasmo Ramirez (1-3) to give the Angels a 4-1 lead and Aybar went deep the following inning. Ramirez allowed five runs - three earned - and seven hits in six frames.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Angels OF Mike Trout scored twice and has crossed the plate 124 times to tie the franchise record set by Vladimir Guerrero in 2004. … Seattle’s 20 strikeouts only matched a club record. Clemens struck out 20 Mariners in 1986, when he was a member of the Boston Red Sox. … Greinke struck out four batters in the fourth inning due to Trayvon Robinson reaching on a wild pitch after fanning. It marked the 10th time that has occurred in Angels history.