Angels 8, Mariners 1
Albert Pujols smacked a three-run double and Matt Shoemaker allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings as Los Angeles defeated visiting Seattle to clinch a playoff spot.
Tony Campana drove in two runs while Brennan Boesch and David Freese homered for the Angels. Los Angeles has wrapped up at least a wild-card spot and reduced its magic number for clinching the American League West to three.
Shoemaker (16-4) struck out five and scattered five hits before leaving with an apparent side injury. Hisashi Iwakuma (14-8) was roughed up for seven runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings as the Mariners lost for the fifth time in six contests and fell two games behind Kansas City for the second AL wild card.
The Angels loaded the bases against Iwakuma in the third inning before Pujols lined a shot inside the left-field line to clear them. Howie Kendrick added a run-scoring double later in the inning to make it 4-0.
Freese hit a solo shot in the fourth and Campana added a two-run single to increase the advantage to seven. Boesch homered to right field in the fifth and Seattle pushed across a run in the eighth on an RBI groundout by Humberto Quintero.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Pujols departed with a hamstring cramp after his three-run double. … 1B Logan Morrison recorded two of Seattle’s six hits. … Angels OF Josh Hamilton (shoulder) has missed 10 straight games but could return later this week.