Mariners avoid sweep with 10th inning win over Angels
Seattle finally got to experience a sliver of late-inning excitement against the Angels.
Jose Lopez’s single in the 10th inning scored Franklin Gutierrez from second base and helped the Mariners defeat the Angels, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at Angel Stadium to avert a four-game sweep.
The Angels have a pair of walk-off victories against Seattle this season, but it was the Mariners who were exchanging high-fives after a 10th inning that started with Ichiro Suzuki working a leadoff walk off reliever Kevin Jepsen.
After Suzuki advanced to second base on Chone Figgins’ sacrifice, he was tagged out in a rundown while trying to take third on Gutierrez’s grounder to shortstop Erick Aybar. Gutierrez then stole second and scored on Lopez’s single that dropped in front of left fielder Reggie Willits.
Mike Napoli, who had given the Angels a 1-0 lead in the second inning with his team-leading 16th home run, had an infield hit to lead off the bottom of the inning. He took second on Kevin Frandsen’s bunt.
After Seattle reliever David Aardsma walked pinch-hitter Paul McAnulty, he struck out Aybar when third base umpire Bob Davidson ruled that Aybar had failed to check his swing on a 3-and-2 pitch. Aardsma then struck out Howie Kendrick for the final out.
Angels starter Ervin Santana pitched seven strong innings, giving up only three hits and one run, which scored in the fifth inning with the help of a wild pitch.
After Ryan Langerhans walked with one out in the fifth, he stole second and advanced to third on Rob Johnson’s single through the left side of the infield. Langerhans came home to tie the score at 1-1 when Santana bounced a pitch to Josh Wilson that got past catcher Jeff Mathis.
The Angels appeared poised to regain the lead in the sixth when Kendrick led off with a triple off the wall in center field. But Kendrick had to hold at third base when the Mariners brought in their infield and Bobby Abreu grounded out to first baseman Justin Smoak.
Torii Hunter then hit a line drive to shortstop Jack Wilson, who threw to third baseman Lopez to double off Kendrick.
Napoli’s homer was one of only four hits given up by Seattle starter Jason Vargas, who worked 7 2/3 innings with a career-high nine strikeouts.
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