Seattle, WA (Sports Network) – Adam Moore’s two-out RBI single in the eighth lifted the Seattle Mariners to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the second of three games at Safeco Field.
Moore finished the game with two hits, while Jose Lopez went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the win, the Mariners’ first at home over the Angels in the last five such meetings. Ichiro Suzuki contributed two hits in the win.
Felix Hernandez pitched seven shutout innings, but didn’t get a decision despite giving up only three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts. Hernandez has been on quite the tear in the last five starts, giving up just one earned run in his last 37 innings.
Brandon League (9-6) earned the win despite giving up the game’s first run in the top of the eighth. David Aardsma notched his 26th save.
Dan Haren had his best start in an Angel uniform, but it was wasted after Kevin Jepsen (2-4) allowed three runs in two-thirds of an inning. Haren also went seven scoreless frames, giving up seven hits and two walks while fanning eight. It was Haren’s first scoreless outing since being traded.
Los Angeles lost for the seventh time in nine games.
League relived Hernandez to start the eighth and immediately ran into trouble, giving up back-to-back one-out doubles to Alberto Callaspo and Howie Kendrick, as the Angels scored the game’s first run.
The Mariners came right back against the LA bullpen. With Jepsen pitching, Russell Branyan drew a one-out walk, and Lopez followed with a single. After Casey Kotchman walked to load the bases, Michael Saunders lofted a sacrifice fly to deep right to tie the game.
Moore followed with a bloop single over the outstretched glove of Kendrick to score Lopez for a 2-1 lead. Francisco Rodriguez came on in relief, but allowed an RBI single to Josh Wilson that made it a two-run game.
Aardsma pitched around a leadoff walk to polish off the win.
The pitching matchup lived up to its billing, with each starter matching zero for zero on the scoreboard.
The Mariners had a chance in the opening inning off Haren, with runners on second and third and two outs, but Lopez grounded out to end the threat.
The Angels responded by loading the bases with one out in the second, only to see Jeff Mathis ground into a double play.
Callaspo was thrown out at home in the visiting third after Moore was thrown out at third for the final out of the second. The pitchers settled down from there, getting through the seventh with little trouble.
The Angels have still dominated the season series, 11-4…Seattle finished August with a 13-14 record…The Angels have an extra-base hit in 34 straight games, the longest active streak in the AL…Callaspo finished with two hits…With eight strikeouts, Hernandez now has 200 on the season.