Sports

Mariners Score 7 In First Inning To Down Angels, 8-5

July 29, 2018 / 5:08 PM PDT / KCAL News

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ANAHEIM (AP) -- Mike Zunino had a two-run double in a seven-run first inning and Marco Gonzales went six strong innings to help the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-5 on Sunday.

Zunino drove in three runs, also delivering an RBI double in the third inning, as the Mariners salvaged the final game of the three-game series. Dee Gordon, Denard Span and Ben Gamel had three hits each for the Mariners.

Justin Upton hit a two-run home run for the Angels in the fifth inning, his 21st of the season, and added an RBI single in the seventh. Los Angeles saw its four-game win streak come to an end.

The Angels' Andrelton Simmons could have brought the Angels to within a run in the seventh on his deep drive to left field, but Span made a catch up against the wall while on the run.

An inconsistent offense has plagued the Mariners, who have scored three runs or less 12 times since July 6. The entered Sunday's game with 3.25 runs scored per game in July, after scoring 4.74 in March/April, 4.05 in May and 4.50 in June.

Their seven-run top of the first inning took 25 minutes. The Mariners had failed to score seven total runs in eight of their previous nine games.

Gordon opened the game with a bloop single to right-center field, his major league leading 32nd hit to lead off a game. He also scored for the 20th time when leading off a game, coming home on a Jean Segura single after he stole second base.

Span, Nelson Cruz and Gamel also drove in first-inning runs for the Mariners.

Angels starter Felix Pena (1-2) faced nine batters and recorded just one out. He gave up seven runs on six hits with two walks and threw 33 pitches before he was replaced by right-hander Jim Johnson. Six Angels relievers combined to give up one run over the final 8 2/3 innings.

Gonzales (12-5) gave up two runs on seven hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. He improved to 5-0 with a 1.57 ERA over his last five starts. He has 31 strikeouts in that stretch.

Albert Pujols had an RBI single in the seventh inning, for his 3,063rd career hit, and Simmons brought home another run in the inning on his fly ball to the wall.

Mariners first baseman Ryon Healy and catcher Zunino had a violent collision while chasing a foul ball in front of the Seattle dugout in eighth inning, but both players remained in the game.