Bridwell, Paxton Duel Before Angels Breakout, Beat Mariners
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Parker Bridwell pitched seven scoreless innings in a duel with James Paxton, Eric Young Jr. hit a three-run homer and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 6-2 in their season finale Sunday.
Paxton shut out Los Angeles for six innings, but Young homered off James Pazos during a six-run seventh inning.
Bridwell (10-3) allowed three hits and a walk while striking out three. Acquired in a trade with Baltimore in April, Bridwell finished the year with a 3.64 ERA. The Angels were 18-3 in games Bridwell pitched this season.
Paxton allowed three hits and struck out nine in his best start since returning from the disabled list in mid-September. He ended the season 12-5 with a 2.98 ERA.
Mike Marjama hit his first career home run in the eighth for Seattle.
Los Angeles finished 80-82, falling short of .500 in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1992-93. The Angels went into the final week of the season with a chance at the playoffs, but finished losing 11 of 15.
The Mariners (78-84) fell eight games off their 86-76 record from last season.
The Angels opened their seventh-inning rally against Shae Simmons (0-2) with a walk and single from Shane Robinson. Seattle failed on both ends of a close double-play attempt on C.J. Cron's bouncer that loaded the bases.
Cliff Pennington's fly sacrificed in the first run. After a walk that loaded the bases again, Juan Graterol added a second sacrifice fly.
Ben Revere greeted Pazos with a run-scoring single before Young launched his three-run homer. It was Young's fourth home run.
Seattle avoided a shutout on Marjama's home run off reliever Jose Alvarez. It was his ninth career at-bat. Daniel Vogelbach added an RBI double in the ninth.
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