Angels sweep Mariners

SEATTLE – It’s not exactly the sort of momentum a team wants to take to Texas, starting a nine-game trip.
The Mariners finished a lost weekend Sunday at Safeco Field, dropping a 4-2 decision to the Los Angeles Angels, who completed a sweep of the four-game series.
Hector Noesi threw eight respectable innings for the Mariners, but was victimized by two Angels homers for a pair of runs – both on 0-2 counts – by Kendry Morales and Mark Trumbo.
Meanwhile, the Mariners could get virtually nothing done against C.J. Wilson and his relief work, as they fell to 21-29 at …

SEATTLE – It’s not exactly the sort of momentum a team wants to take to Texas, starting a nine-game trip.

The Mariners finished a lost weekend Sunday at Safeco Field, dropping a 4-2 decision to the Los Angeles Angels, who completed a sweep of the four-game series.

Hector Noesi threw eight respectable innings for the Mariners, but was victimized by two Angels homers for a pair of runs – both on 0-2 counts – by Kendry Morales and Mark Trumbo.

Meanwhile, the Mariners could get virtually nothing done against C.J. Wilson and his relief work, as they fell to 21-29 at the 50-game mark.

The Angels went to work quickly, as leadoff hitter Mike Trout dropped a single to right and stole second. Two outs later – the M’s finally got Albert Pujols out after he started 6 for 12 in the first three games – Morales singled to left-center and L.A. led 1-0.

Morales then rode a Noesi “mistake” pitch into the right-center field seats leading off the fourth inning, giving the Angels a 2-0 lead.

At that point, the Mariners didn’t have a hit against Wilson. The most damage they could muster was Justin Smoak’s bouncer off Wilson’s left hand in the second inning. But with two out in the fourth, Jesus Montero ripped a double to left-center, and Smoak singled to right field, scoring Montero to make it 2-1.

Noesi then allowed a solo homer to Mark Trumbo leading off the seventh inning, a healthy shot that carried to the second deck in left field, making it 3-1.

The M’s got back to 3-2 in the seventh. Montero walked leading off against Jordan Walden and took second on a wild pitch. Smoak advanced him with a groundout. After Kyle Seager struck out, Walden unfurled another wild pitch, scoring Montero.

The Angels added a run in the ninth. Morales doubled to right, took third on Trumbo’s fly to center and scored on Howie Kendrick’s fly to right.