Angels Edge Mariners 1-0
ANAHEIM (AP) — C.J. Wilson pitched two-hit ball for seven innings, Mike Trout scored the only run on a wild pitch by Joe Saunders and the Los Angeles Angels edged the Seattle Mariners 1-0 Wednesday night.
Wilson (6-5) struck out three, walked two and allowed only two runners as far as second base en route to his fifth straight victory over the Mariners.
Trout legged out a leadoff double in the sixth and moved to third on a flyout. He scored on the first pitch wild of the season by Saunders (5-7).
Scott Downs pitched a perfect eighth for the Angels and Ernesto Frieri did likewise in the ninth for his 16th save in 17 attempts.
Kendrys Morales' chopped single leading off the second was Seattle's only hit until Kyle Seager's leadoff single in the seventh. Wilson froze Raul Ibanez on a called third strike later in the inning with runners at first and second, and escaped when Trout ran down Mike Zunino's drive in front of the bullpen fence in left.
Saunders pitched his ninth complete game in 204 career starts, allowing six hits over eight innings with three strikeouts and two walks. He was a first-round draft pick by the Angels in 2002.
Slumping Josh Hamilton was dropped to seventh in the Angels' lineup by manager Mike Scioscia, one night after he grounded into double plays his first three times up and struck out twice. It was the first time that the 2010 AL MVP started a game in the seventh slot since Aug. 5, 1990, with Texas. But the change didn't help, as he went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and saw his average dip to .210.
NOTES: Peter Bourjos was stranded at third base in the third inning when Saunders induced a double-play grounder by Albert Pujols. The Angels have grounded into a major league-worst 77 DPs, 11 of them in the last five games. ... Howie Kendrick lined a single through the box in the sixth, knocking Saunders' glove right off his hand. ... Wilson, who spent his first five big league seasons as a reliever with the Rangers, reached the 1,000-inning mark when he retired Michael Saunders on a foul popup to end the second. ... Aybar got his 100th career stolen base and first since April 30, surpassing Dick Schofield as the Angels' career leader among shortstops. ... Wilson is 8-1 against Seattle in 10 starts since the beginning of the 2011 season.
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