Angels build early lead, beat Mariners
Wilson works out of bases-loaded jams
SEATTLE – Hank Conger and Mark Trumbo each hit two-run homers and C.J. Wilson worked out of a pair of bases-loaded jams to help give the Los Angeles Angels a 6-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.
Wilson (2-0) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs. He walked two and struck out a season-high nine.
Ernesto Frieri pitched the ninth for his third save in three chances.
The Angels would not let Mariners starter Aaron Harang (0-3) settle in. They scored in each of the first three innings for a 5-0 lead, chasing Harang before the fourth.
Peter Bourjos opened the game with a single followed by Mike Trout’s hit. Bourjos took third and scored on Albert Pujols’ sacrifice fly to center.
Conger connected in the second inning, his first home run, and Trumbo hit his third in the third.
The Mariners still have not won consecutive games since starting 2-0. They were 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position and left 15 runners stranded.
Kyle Seager singled in the fourth to give him a career-high 15-game hit streak, longest in the majors this season. He is batting .393 during the streak with seven doubles, three home runs and 11 RBIs.
The Mariners had two prime opportunities to unravel Wilson, loading the bases in both the fourth and fifth with fewer than two outs. They managed just one run.
Seager and Kendrys Morales opened the fourth with singles and Michael Morse earned a nine-pitch walk to load the bases with no outs. After Justin Smoak struck out, Kelly Shoppach was hit by a pitch, forcing in a run.
Wilson then struck out Robert Andino and Endy Chavez.
A pair of singles by Brendan Ryan and Jason Bay in the fifth was followed by one-out walk to Morales, loading up more trouble for Wilson. But he got Morse on an infield popup and struck out Smoak.
The Mariners finally scored a pair of runs in the sixth. Shoppach singled and Andino doubled. Chavez hit a sac-fly to center, scoring Shoppach and ending Wilson’s evening.
Ryan then greeted reliever Sean Burnett with a first-pitch squeeze bunt, scoring Andino to make it 5-3.
The Angels scored in the seventh on Pujols’ second sac-fly.