Game recap: Angels 7, Mariners 6

 Takeaway

The Mariners’ recent bedrock, the bullpen, faltered, giving up four runs in a 7-6 loss Tuesday night in Anaheim that snapped the Angels’ losing streak at 11 (box). The Mariners had leads of 4-1 and 6-5, but three home runs, including a three-run shot by DH Albert Pujols, his career 582nd, stopped the Seattle momentum that reached nine wins in 10 games.

Essential moments

Spot starter Ariel Miranda did well until he opened the sixth with walks to Kole Calhoun  and Mike Trout to threaten the Mariners’ 4-1 lead. Miranda was replaced by Nick Vincent, who blew up — the Pujols homer, followed by a solo shot for C Jett Bandy, his seventh, and a 5-4 lead.

Hitters

The Mariners had 10 hits, but needed none to regain the lead in the seventh. An error by  2B Cliff Pennington spelled trouble for reliever J.C. Ramirez, a Mariner for eight games last season, by letting 2B Robinson Cano aboard. Ramirez walked RF Nelson Cruz, and with 3B Kyle Seager at bat,  threw a wild pitch well off plate that advanced the runners. Then he threw a second wild pitch that easily plated Cano. When Ramirez finally returned to the strike zone, Seager’s sacrifice fly scored Cruz for a 6-5 lead.

Nori Aoki had three hits from the leadoff spot, and Ketel Marte had a bunt single in the second for the Mariners’ first run. That was followed by a two-run single from DH Seth Smith.  In the fifth, Seager drove in the fourth run with a single.

Pitchers

Miranda gave up three hits in five innings, but four walks ate up pitches and set up Pujols’ blow.

After the Mariners regained the lead, Vidal Nuno had a spotless seventh. In the eighth, Arquimedes Caminero retired Trout and Pujols, but Jefry Marte belted a homer to left to tie the game — Caminero’s first run given up as a Mariner. Then he gave up a second when Pennington doubled home Bandy, who had singled.

Words

“Our bullpen has done such a great job during this stretch, but they didn’t didn’t get it done. We believe we can win games late, but not tonight.” — Mariners manager Scott Servais

Noteworthy 

Cody Martin, called up from AAA Tacoma Tuesday, will make the Mariners’ second consecutive emergency start Wednesday. He replaces James Paxton, who went on the disabled list Tuesday with a sore left forearm after being hit by comebacker Aug. 7 . . . The 9-1 stretch entering the game was the eighth time in club history to go 9-1 or better in a 10-game stretch in August or later. It is the first such stretch since the 2014 club went 9-1 from Aug. 5-15 . . . Entering play Tuesday, the Mariners were 18-10 (.643) since the All–Star break, the second–best record in club history. They trail only the 2001 Mariners, who posted a record of 53-22 (.707) following the break . . . The Mariners are 9-4 in their past 13 one-run games . . Before the game, the Mariners had the best record of any AL West team since June 24,  27-17 (.614) during that span. Houston 24-21 (.533), Texas 23-24 (.489), Oakland 22-25 (.468) and Los Angeles 18-27 (.400).

Next

In the series’ third of four games starting at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, Martin (1-2  2.70 ERA) has five relief appearances in Seattle with five strikeouts and one walk in 10 innings. He’s primarily been a starter with Tacoma, where he was 9-7 and 3.93 ERA in 23 games, including 18 starts. The Angels start LHP Tyler Skaggs, coming back from Tommy John surgery (1-1, 4.37).