Game recap: Angels 7, Mariners 6

Takeaway

The Mariners blew a save for the second opportunity in a row – this time closer Steve Cishek took the loss as well – as the Angels rallied to end Seattle’s three-game winning streak, 7-6, Friday night at Safeco Field (box). Cishek allowed in the ninth three singles, a walk and two runs as Seattle (21-14) blew a 5-1 lead.

Essential moment

Angels 1B C.J. Cron, who homered to lead an eighth-inning rally, added a two-run, bases-loaded single in the ninth for the winning margin. After giving up two singles, then a walk to Daniel Nava, Cishek jammed Cron, who blooped a single into shallow right that fell among three Mariners.

Pitchers

The steady bullpen is starting to show some leaks. Friday was a puddle. Relievers Nick Vincent and Joel Peralta  gave three runs back after a 5-1 lead.

RHP Nathan Karns had another solid start, but bullpen failures in the seventh hurt his numbers (6.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER).

Hitters

SS Ketel Marte matched his career high for RBIs for the second time in a week. His three-run triple in the sixth was the biggest hit of a game that also included solo home runs from DH Nelson Cruz and C Chris Iannetta. Marte’s triple came after the Mariners had gone hitless in their first seven at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Seattle stranded three in the second inning, wasted a leadoff triple in the third and was 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. 2B Robinson Cano extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an eighth-inning double, but he went 1-for-5 and stranded two runners at third.

Words

“It’s going to happen. As good as our bullpen is, I believe in them. And we’re going to
give them the ball tomorrow night.” – Mariners manager Scott Servais

Noteworthy

RHP Joaquin Benoit (right shoulder inflammation) could be activated from the 15-day disabled list as soon as Tuesday. The Mariners expect Benoit, the 38-year-old setup man, to join the team on its upcoming road trip. He could be cleared for the Baltimore series . . . The Mariners went into Friday’s game with a 19-7 record since April 13, matching the Cubs for the best record in baseball during that span  . . . Seattle had won each of its previous seven games that were decided by a run before Friday’s debacle . . .  Cruz’s home run was his seventh, but only his second at Safeco . . . The Angels cended a six-game losing streak. The last time the franchise lost seven in a row was April 30-May 6, 2010.

Next

Saturday in the series’s’ second game at 6:10 p.m., The Mariners will see RHP Jhoulys Chacin (1-2, 5.40 ERA with the Braves) for the first time. Chacin was traded from Atlanta on Wednesday and makes his Angels debut. RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (1-4, 4.19 ERA) is on the hill for Seattle. Iwakuma has had plenty of success against the Angels, having gone 8-3 with a 2.67 ERA over 15 career appearances. In eight starts against Los Angeles at Safeco Iwakuma is 6-1 with a 1.71 ERA.