Mariners rally past Angels with five-run sixth inning

SEATTLE (Interstat) — Julio Rodríguez had three hits, Randy Arozarena drove in a run and the Seattle Mariners used a five-run sixth inning to break open a scoreless tie and defeat the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Park.

Bryan Woo earned the win, improving to 7-6, after allowing three runs on six hits over six innings with four strikeouts and one walk. José Soriano took the loss, falling to 8-5, after giving up five runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking three. The game lasted 2 hours, 54 minutes in front of an announced crowd of 32,372.

Seattle outhit Los Angeles 13-6 and erased a shutout in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Mariners sent nine batters to the plate, scoring five runs on five hits, highlighted by a two-run single from Weston Wilson. The Angels responded with three runs in the top of the seventh to cut the deficit to 5-3, but Seattle answered with three of its own in the bottom half, including RBI singles from Colt Emerson and Victor Robles, to seal the victory.

Rodríguez went 3 for 5 with a run scored, raising his average to .287. Arozarena finished 2 for 4 with an RBI double and a run. Wilson drove in two runs, going 1 for 4. Victor Robles was 1 for 4 with an RBI. Cole Young added a hit and an RBI. Andrés Muñoz tossed a perfect eighth inning with one strikeout, and Michael Rucker worked a scoreless ninth. Eduard Bazardo allowed one earned run on two hits in 2/3 of an inning. Cal Raleigh went 0 for 3 with a walk.

For the Angels, Zach Neto drove in two runs with a single in the seventh. Nolan Schanuel singled and scored once. Wade Meckler had two hits and a run. Josh Lowe singled, walked and scored. Logan O’Hoppe singled in a run. The Angels managed only three hits through the first six innings, all singles, and left seven men on base.

The game turned in the bottom of the sixth. With the score 0-0, Rodríguez led off with a single. Josh Naylor singled, putting runners at first and second. Arozarena singled to left, driving in Rodríguez for the game’s first run. After Raleigh walked on a successful challenge, Young singled to right, scoring Naylor and making it 2-0. A strikeout and another strikeout followed, but Wilson then lined a single to right, plating Raleigh and Young for a 4-0 lead. J.P. Crawford struck out to end the inning, with Seattle ahead 5-0.

The Angels fought back in the seventh. Meckler singled, and after a flyout, Lowe singled. O’Hoppe singled to center, scoring Meckler. Donovan Walton walked to load the bases. Neto then singled sharply to center, scoring Lowe and O’Hoppe, cutting the lead to 5-3. But Vaughn Grissom flied into a forceout, and Schanuel flied out to end the threat.

Seattle answered immediately in the bottom half. Rodríguez singled, Naylor struck out, but Arozarena doubled, putting runners at second and third. Raleigh struck out. Young walked to load the bases. Emerson then singled to left, scoring Rodríguez and Arozarena to make it 7-3. Robles followed with a single to left, scoring Young for an 8-3 cushion. Wilson struck out to end the inning, and the Mariners’ bullpen held the Angels scoreless the rest of the way.

The win improved Seattle to 44-43, while the Angels fell to 36-51. The Mariners took the first two games of this series, having beaten Los Angeles 6-2 on Monday. Seattle’s three-game sweep attempt continues Thursday. The Angels next host Boston on Friday, while the Mariners welcome Toronto on Friday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Los Angeles 6, Seattle 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Seattle a 63.20 percent probability to win. Seattle was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 11 went under the over/under line of 7.5.