Pujols' 3-Run HR In Ninth Gives Angels 9-7 Win
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Albert Pujols hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning to fuel a second Angels rally in Los Angeles' 9-7 win over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night.
The Angels trailed 2-1 before taking the lead with a five-run seventh, but then Seattle came back with a five-run eighth. Steve Clevenger had a two-out RBI single to cap the inning for a 7-6 lead heading into the ninth.
Closer Steve Cishek (2-3) couldn't save it. With one out, he hit Kole Calhoun with a pitch and Mike Trout singled to right. Pujols then hit his eighth home run on a 1-1 slider.
Adam Lind drove in four runs for the Mariners, including a two-run double in the eighth. He opened the scoring in the second with a two-run home run, his second.
Cam Bedrosian (1-0) got one out in the eighth inning and Joe Smith pitch the ninth for his third save.
Johnny Giavotella, Calhoun and Trout each homered during Los Angeles' five-run seventh.
Robinson Cano, who had an RBI single in the eighth, extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
TOUGH DEAL
The Angels have to deal with three aces over their next three games. They begin Sunday against Seattle's former Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez (3-2, 2.27 ERA). Then Monday they open their four-game series at the Dodgers against Kenta Maeda (3-2, 2.30) followed by former Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw (5-1, 1.74). Those three are a combined 11-5 with a 2.06 ERA and 148 strikeouts in 148 innings.
EXTRAS IN MAY
Seattle's Kyle Seager, who doubled in the seventh, leads the Majors with 11 extra-base hits thus far in May. Seager had just eight for all of April.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: The Angels, with seven players on the DL, got a break with third baseman Yunel Escobar. Escobar jammed his thumb Thursday diving for a ball and the club feared he would be out for some time. But he missed just one game and returned to the lineup Saturday.
Mariners: Both LHP Charlie Furbush (left biceps tendinitis) and RHP Joaquin Benoit (right shoulder inflammation) threw simulated games Saturday. "Both threw the ball really, really well and felt great coming out of it, so thumbs up," manager Scott Servais said. Furbush will likely throw one more sim game, and then report to the team's Arizona facility. Servais said Benoit may be activated during the next road trip, or have an outing at Triple-A.
UP NEXT
Angels: LHP Hector Santiago (2-2, 4.07) beat the Mariners 4-2 on April 23. He is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in last three starts against Seattle.
Mariners: Hernandez, second in the league in home ERA (0.83), became the winningest pitcher (146) in club history last Monday but has a 14-15 career record against the Angels. He is 7-3 with a 1.55 ERA in his last 15 starts against Los Angeles.
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