Takeaway
The Mariners (34-41, eight games out of first in the AL West) botched prime scoring opportunities in the second, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth innings Saturday and lost to the Los Angeles Angels 4-2 (box score) in Anaheim. Seattle second baseman Robinson Cano was knocked out of action when an errant throw between the sixth and seventh innings nailed him in the forehead as he stood near the railing of the Seattle dugout.
Esssential moment
After Daniel Robinson led off first with a single, Seattle starter J.A. Happ elevated a fastball that Kole Calhoun knocked over the fence in right field for a 2-0 lead.
Hitters
The Mariners out-hit the Angels 8-6, but couldn’t convert with runners in scoring position, going a dreadful, predictable 1-for-10 in those situations. Mike Zunino, who entered with a .163 batting average, lowest in the AL among qualifiers, had two hits, a single in the sixth and his eighth home run in the eighth. Brad Miller delivered two hits, but rapped into a double play in the sixth with Kyle Seager on second.Dustin Ackley once again dipped below the Mendoza Line, his 0-for-3 (.199). In his first 18 games as a Mariner, Mark Trumbo is batting .159.
The Mariners first run came home in the sixth on a wild pitch, making it 2-1, but the Angels tacked on two more runs in the seventh on Johnny Giavotella’s RBI single and a Carlos Perez ground-ball out that scored a run.
Pitchers
Except for yielding the first-inning home run, Happ pitched well enough to win. He allowed four runs on five hits in seven innings with six strikeouts and two walks. The Mariners have scored six runs in Happ’s last five starts and three or fewer in 10 of his last 15.
The Mariners couldn’t solve Angels starter Garrett Richards, who allowed two hits in 7.2 innings and struck out six with one walk.
Noteworthy
The errant throw that conked Cano during infield warmups around him in the forehead, causing a big welt. Removed from the game, was diagnosed with a head contusion, not a concussion, and is listed as day-to-day. He said afteward he was fine. Willie Bloomquist replaced him . . . The Mariners have dropped 18 of their last 32, are 31-35 against the American League, 8-12-4 in series played and 17-15 against the AL West . . . Forty-five of Seattle’s of 75 games have been decided by two or fewer runs . . . Seattle is 10-6 on the road since May 22 after opening the season 7-12 . . . RHP Hisashi Iwakuma, who threw a rehab start Thursday, will make another for AAA Tacoma Tuesday against Las Vegas at Cheney Stadium before a decision is made on his possible return to the Mariners.
Next
The series concludes Sunday at 1:10 p.m. Felix Hernandez (10-4, 3.24) is seeking his 11th victory and will oppose LHP Hector Santiago (4-4, 2.68). The Mariners are off Monday and play the San Diego Padres in a two-game set beginning Tuesday.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2205410 https://sportspressnw.wpengine.com/?p=2205410">6 Comments
The club has lost that “Refuse To Lose” mojo that they displayed early in the season. They aren’t a come from behind team anymore. Once the Angels took the early lead that was it. Hopefully Cano wasn’t too badly hurt when he was hit on the head with an errant throw during commercial break. Expecting him to be given the day off.
Another 1 game win streak snapped. Happ gives up too many runs again. Mr single Cano kills an inning with a double play. Trumbo strikes out twice on pitches well out of the strike zone. All are no surprise.
The inability to drive in runs is breathtaking. Z has acquired average players who become worse.
Another 1 run explosion. The so-called “King Felix” doesn’t get bombed & these dopes are going to waste it again as usual. Beimel just gave up the go ahead run, so they lost AGAIN. Sigh.
This loss should NOT be blamed on Happ. He gave up the two-run shot in the first – it happens. But then he keeps us in the game in innings two through six. It’s 2-1 at that point. When Happ shows signs of fatigue by walking Freese on four pitches, Lloyd leaves him in. Why?
You’ve got a pretty darn good bullpen – why leave him in?
You’ve got a pretty darn good bullpen – why aren’t they ready to go?
Now, on to something completely different – did anyone see what happened in Tacoma last night? Ruggiano had three home runs and seven RBIs. Montero (rolls eyes) had another two home runs. They beat El Paso 14-4. Fourteen runs in one game. The Mariners? Fourteen runs in the last four games, fourteen runs in the four games before that. As Arthur says, “breathtaking,” as is “suffocating.”
Thanks to power of math the M’s are still in the pennant race.