Mariners slip past Angels 4-3
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Leonys Martin drove in one run with a sacrifice fly and scored a second on Shawn O'Malley's bunt single to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night in front of 36,950 at Angel Stadium.
Robinson Cano got three hits and made a pivotal defensive play for the Mariners, who used their 12th win in 15 games to remain 6 1/2 games behind the first-place Texas Rangers in the American League West. Seattle also moved within two games of the Baltimore Orioles in the race for the second wild-card spot.
The Angels' Yunel Escobar went 5-for-5, tying a career best in hits, and Albert Pujols drove in his 93rd run of the season. But Los Angeles suffered its 12th loss in 13 games.
However, the Mariners had to survive a dramatic bottom of the ninth inning to secure the win.
Cliff Pennington began the inning by lining a single off closer Edwin Diaz. Pennington advanced to second base on a wild pitch, then scored on Escobar's single up the middle. Diaz struck out Kole Calhoun, but Mike Trout singled up the middle to send Escobar to third. Then Pujols received an intentional walk to load the bases.
After Diaz struck out Jefry Marte, the right-hander came within one pitch of walking the tying run home. But on a 3-2 pitch, Andrelton Simmons hit a hard ground ball to third baseman Kyle Seager, who dived to his right to make the stop and threw on one bounce to first baseman Dae-Ho Lee to retire Simmons and end the game.
Diaz's eighth save preserved the victory for reliever Drew Storen (3-3), who pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings of relief with one strikeout for the victory.
Storen relieved right-hander Cody Martin, who made his first start for Seattle and the third of his career one day after being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma. In 4 1/3 innings, Martin gave up two runs, seven hits and two walks and a hit batter while striking out two.
The Mariners broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth inning by turning three hits, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly into two runs against left-hander Tyler Skaggs.
Chris Iannetta began the inning with a ground-rule double off the hands of a fan in the right-field bleachers. Iannetta went to third base when Leonys Martin lined a single to right field. After Martin stole second, Ketel Marte hit a sacrifice fly to score Iannetta.
Shawn O'Malley followed with a bunt up the first-base line. Skaggs fielded the bunt and underhanded the ball to first baseman Jefry Marte, whose swipe tag missed O'Malley. Martin scored from second base on the play.
Skaggs (1-2) lasted just 3 1/3 innings. Despite collecting five strikeouts, Skaggs allowed four runs, six hits, two walks and one hit batter while throwing 82 pitches.
The Angels took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Martin.
Los Angeles loaded the bases with nobody out when Escobar singled off the glove of Lee at first, Calhoun hit a double on one hop off the fence in right-center field and Trout got hit by a pitch.
Pujols drove Escobar home with a single over shortstop Ketel Marte's glove. Jefry Marte followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Calhoun and sent Trout to third base. But Pujols was thrown out trying to advance to second on the play.
The Mariners responded in the second with two runs of their own after loading the bases with nobody out. Iannetta hit a single off a diving Escobar's glove at third base to bring Cruz home. Martin followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Seager.
NOTES: Los Angeles placed C Geovany Soto on the disabled list with an inflamed right knee and recalled C Carlos Perez from Triple-A Salt Lake. It is Soto's third DL stint because ofknee issues this year. ... Mariners 1B Dae-Ho Lee shared second place among American League rookies with 13 home runs and was third with 41 RBIs through Tuesday. ... Seattle's Shawn O'Malley started in left field for the seventh time. O'Malley has made 22 of his 35 starts at shortstop. ... The Mariners and Angels have used 13 starting pitchers apiece this season.