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Seattle Mariners

Mariners Log: Mike Trout’s late homer sends M’s to defeat once again

Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout hits a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a 5-4 win over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, April 8, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

FELIX HERNANDEZ SOLID IF NOT SPECTACULAR OVER SIX INNINGS

What happened: Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

Mike Trout crushed a two-run homer off Evan Scribner in the seventh inning to lift the Los Angeles Angels over the Seattle Mariners 5-4 on Saturday in Anaheim.

Feliz Hernandez completed six innings and allowed three runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts on his 31st birthday. He was obviously hittable but limited damage and maybe the best news of all, went his second straight performance without walking a batter and showed no repercussion from the tight groin muscle that got him lifted from his opening day start.

Mitch Haniger got things started off right with a two-run homer in the first inning, and Mike Zunino delivered a two-out, run-scoring single in the seventh to tie it at 3.

But Even Scribner served up an 89 mph fastball middle-in to Trout in the seventh, and the A.L. MVP, who received his hardware for the award in a pregame ceremony, punished the mistake.

Angels starter Ricky Nolasco also went six innings. He gave up two runs on four hits and a walk, striking out three.

Line Outs

  • After Jean Segura led off with a line-drive single, Mitch Haniger hit a no-doubt-about-it shot to left center. Later in the frame, Nelson Cruz took one to the track. Early signs of life for the offense.
  • Segura, the M’s most consistent offensive performer this far, finished 3 for 4 with two runs.
  • Hernandez and Trout had a classic, 14-pitch battle in the bottom of the first, resulting in Trout looking at a four-seam fastball for strike three.
  • Angels got one back in the second. Albert Pujols barely beat out what should have been an easy double and went to third on a single by Cameron Maybin. With runners on the corners and one out, Hernandez got a big strikeout on a breaking pitch to Jefry Marte. But Danny Espinosa – who once led the N.L. in strikeouts with the Nationals – delivered a line-drive RBI single.
  • Weird call to end the bottom of the second after the Angels’ run. Martin Maldonado appeared to have loaded the bases with an infield single when Danny Valencia bobbled Hernandez’ throw. But Maldonado was called out for interference for running inside the base line. M’s caught a big break.
  • In the third, after singling Segura tried to go first-to-third on a routine grounder by Haniger that drew third baseman Yunel Escobar in. But shortstop Andrelton Simmons had the presence of mind to cover the bag, then made an acrobatic leaping and twisting play to tag Segura on the hip before he got the bag.
  • Angels tied it up in the third. Double by Escobar, wild pitch, single by Calhoun.
  • In the fifth, Mike Zunino made a nice play to block a breaking ball in the dirt and then throw out a greedy Maldonado trying to take second on the play, thus ending the inning.
  • The Escobar homer came on the ninth pitch of the at bat, a sinker that stayed up and ran back, ending up center cut.
  • After Hernandez was lifted, Seager led off the seventh with a double and took third on a groundout by Valencia. With the infield drawn in, Leonys Martin weakly bounced one right to Simmons at short for the second out on a high fastball from reliever J.C. Ramirez that simply overpowered him.
  • The pitch from Scribner to Trout was an 89 mph fastball middle-in, in the reddest of Trout’s red zones. Bad guy and bad time to make a mistake like that.
  • Cruz had arguably his best plate appearance of the season in the eighth, spoiling four consecutive pitches, including a pair of 96 mph fastballs on the corner, before getting enough of one for a sacrifice fly to bring home Segura to make it 5-4.

The Takeaway

Four runs ties a season high for the Mariners, but it still wasn’t enough to keep them from dropping to 1-5. Jean Segura continues to be a glimmer of hope with a 3 for 4 night and Felix was pretty good and best news of all, didn’t show any ill effect from the tight groin muscle that got him lifted on opening day. This team needs to get home and sleep in their own beds.

Tweet of the Day

Players of the Game

Hero: Jean Segura. His name has been mentioned here before, as he’s the only Mariner hitting above .208. 3 for 4, two runs. He’s been a catalyst at the top of the order. He just hasn’t gotten much help.

Goat: Evan Scribner. When the offense isn’t scoring every pitching mistake get magnified. Giving up a homer to the best player in the game is not a crime, but in this one it was a killer.

Mariners Notes

Top prospect right-fielder Tyler O’Neill swatted a three-run home run in the Tacoma Rainiers 6-5 loss to Sacramento, his first Triple-A homer. It won’t be his last…James Pazos walked one and struckout one in one shutout inning…Leonys Martin finished 0 for 4 and now has one hit in 20 at-bats…The Mariners went 1 for 6 with RISP and left four on base.

Next Game

Seattle Mariners vs. Los Angeles Angels on Sunday at 12:37 p.m. RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (0-1, 3.00 ERA) vs. Matt Shoemaker (0-0, 3.60 ERA)

What others are saying

Yes, there are questions with the offense. That’s obvious. And there will be until there is more than one person hitting above .210. But the pitching has given up 10 runs in two games in Anaheim, which isn’t ideal. … Felix pitched OK in the 5-4 Angel win last night, but the bullpen couldn’t keep the home team in check. … Panic may be just around the corner but not everyone sees it that way. … The M’s lineup has been relatively consistent. … Shoemaker will face Seager today for the first time since Seager lined a ball off the pitcher’s head in September.