Recap: Seattle vs. LA Angels
Sports Network | September 23, 2008
Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Ervin Santana mastered the Mariners' bats with eight sharp innings and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim extended a putrid stretch for Seattle with a 2-1 victory in the opener of a four-game series from Safeco Field.
Santana (16-6) gave up just five hits and one run without walking a batter while fanning nine in claiming victory for the fifth time in his last six decisions. Francisco Rodriguez continued to re-write the history books with his 61st save of the season.
Reggie Willits had three hits, including a single in the seventh that scored the go-ahead run. Vladimir Guerrero also had three hits, including a home run, as the Angels won for the 10th time in their last 12 games and recorded a fifth straight triumph.
Ichiro Suzuki extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single, one of five Seattle hits, and Ryan Rowland-Smith (4-3) was dealt a tough loss in allowing two runs -- one earned -- on eight hits over seven innings. The young left-hander issued one walk and fanned six in allowing three runs or fewer for the seventh straight outing.
Seattle took the loss for a 12th consecutive game, its longest stretch without a win since a franchise-record 14-game skid from September 2-18, 1992. The Mariners are also just one defeat away from their first 100-loss campaign since 1983 with six agonizing games to play.
Jeff Mathis singled through the left side with one down in the seventh and Willits lined a run-scoring single to left that Raul Ibanez bobbled, allowing Mathis to cross home. Santana continued a stretch of retiring 12 straight with perfect seventh and eighth frames.
Rodriguez then came on for the ninth and got two quick groundouts before the new all-time saves leader fooled Jose Lopez with three straight curveballs to end the game.
The Mariners scored the game's first run in the third. Consecutive singles from Luis Valbuena, Rob Johnson and Suzuki loaded the bases to start the frame and Ibanez plated a run with a groundout two batters later. Lopez went down swinging with two runners in scoring position to end the frame.
The Halos answered in the fourth on a Guerrero solo blast to left-center field, his 25th on the season.
Los Angeles leads the season series 12-4, including a 5-2 mark at Safeco Field...Guerrero now has 25 or more home runs in each of his last 11 seasons...Santana is now 11-2 on the road this season.
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