Mariners 7, Angels 2
SEATTLE -- The Los Angeles Angels' sudden push toward the top of the American League West was put on hold by Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.
Hernandez threw seven scoreless innings, and the Mariners ended the Angels' five-game winning streak with a 7-2 win at Safeco Field.
Los Angeles (46-39) had a chance to pull within a half-game of the division-leading Houston Astros, who lost to the Cleveland Indians on Thursday.
Seattle (40-46) pounded out a season-high 19 hits, the first 12 of which came off Los Angeles starter Garrett Richards.
Richards (9-6) allowed four runs over 5 1/3 innings while taking a loss for only the second time in his past six starts.
Hernandez (11-5) made his final start before the All-Star Game a memorable one. He scattered five hits and two walks while striking out six.
Seattle first baseman Logan Morrison led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run, and the Mariners never trailed.
Third baseman Kyle Seager and designated hitter Nelson Cruz each had three hits, while Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano, left fielder Dustin Ackley, right fielder Mark Trumbo, left fielder Seth Smith and catcher Mike Zunino had two hits apiece.
Los Angeles right fielder Kole Calhoun went 2-for-4 and hit a solo homer off Seattle reliever Fernando Rodney in the eighth. Calhoun also threw out a runner at the plate, one of three Mariners who were thrown out trying to score.
Calhoun's homer cut the Seattle lead to 4-1 before Cano and Cruz drove in runs in the bottom of the eighth to put the game away.
The game appeared to be over, a 7-1 Seattle victory, on a bases-loaded double play in the top of the ninth, but a Los Angeles replay challenge resulted in a reversal. That led to the Angels' second run, officially on a fielder's choice groundout by third baseman David Freese, before Mariners reliever Carson Smith came on to get the final out and earn his sixth save of the season.
Seattle's previous high for hits was 17, which came in an April 19 win over the Texas Rangers.
Richards got himself into all kinds of trouble in the first two innings, but the Angels came out of it trailing only 2-0 -- thanks in large part to a pair of putouts at home plate.
After Morrison gave the Mariners a quick 1-0 lead with a leadoff homer, Richards gave up two more first-inning hits but didn't allow another run as Calhoun gunned down Cano at home plate.
One inning later, after the Mariners put runners on second and third with one out, the Angels' defense struck again. Zunino's one-out single scored one run, but Trumbo was thrown out by left fielder Matt Joyce at the plate.
Back-to-back sacrifice flies in the fourth -- by shortstop Brad Miller and Zunino -- opened up a 4-0 lead for the Mariners.
NOTES: Angels RHP Huston Street (groin) could miss the entire Seattle series with a groin pull. Street sustained the injury on the next-to-last pitch while recording a save Wednesday at Colorado. ... The Mariners made several roster moves before Thursday's game, adding two relievers while optioning LHP J.A. Happ to Class A ahead of the All-Star break. Happ started Wednesday's game and was sent down to clear a roster spot because he won't have another scheduled start with the Mariners until after the break. Seattle called up 1B Jesus Montero, RHP Danny Farquhar and LHP Vidal Nuno. LHP Charlie Furbush was placed on the 15-day disabled list with left biceps tendinitis, and RHP Mayckol Guaipe was sent back to Triple-A. ... Seattle CF Austin Jackson (back spasms) did not play. ... Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon was back in the dugout after missing three games to attend a funeral.