Out of Right Field: Recap, takeaways from the Mariners’ 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels
Tim Beckham and Omar Narvaez hit back-to-back home runs leading off the ninth inning as the Mariners defeated the host Los Angeles Angels 5-3 Friday night.
Jay Bruce and Daniel Vogelbach also homered for the Mariners, who improved to 10-1 on the road.
Marco Gonzales (Gonzaga) pitched seven-plus innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts, but didn’t get a decision.
Zac Rosscup (2-0) got the victory and fellow left-hander Roenis Elias pitched the ninth for his fourth save in as many opportunities.
Gonzales took a 3-1 lead into the eighth before David Fletcher led off with an infield single and Mike Trout tied it with a two-run homer, ending Gonzales’ night.
The Mariners got out of that inning with a unique double play. Cory Gearrin got Andrelton Simmons to pop out, then hit Albert Pujols with a pitch.
The M’s turned to the left-handed Rosscup to face Justin Bour as Brian Goodwin came on to pinch-run for Pujols.
Bour hit a high popup to the right side of the infield but instead of running to first headed back to the dugout. The ball fell between second baseman Dee Gordon and third baseman Ryon Healy, who was positioned on that side of the infield in a defensive shift. Healy caught the ball on a bounce, threw to shortstop Beckham covering second to force out Goodwin, then Goodwin through to first baseman Edwin Encarnacion to retire Bour.
Bruce hit a solo shot in the second inning, his ninth of the season, to open the scoring.
Vogelbach hit a two-run homer in the fourth to give the M’s a 3-0 lead.
The Angels got one run back after loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Zack Cozart hit a sacrifice fly to left field. The M’s threw out Jonathan Lucroy trying to advance to third on the play to end the inning.
Of note
The Mariners have hit 49 home runs, the most in the majors. The Los Angeles Dodgers are second with 41. … OF Julio Rodriguez, one of the M’s top prospects, is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a fractured left hand after getting hit with a pitch. Rodriguez was batting .355 in nine games with Low-A West Virginia.
By the numbers
.464: Vogelbach’s batting average on the road this season, the best in the majors.
Our take from right field
Manager Scott Servais’ lack of confidence in the M’s bullpen is starting to take a toll on Seattle’s starting pitchers. Marco Gonzales, who had allowed one run on six hits through seven innings, was sent back out for the eighth. Gonzales allowed an infield single – Beckham probably should have made the play but bobbled the ball twice – and Trout then launched a low pitch over the wall in left-center field.
Up next
The M’s continue their four-game series Saturday in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels. LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-1, 4.23 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound against Angels RHP Trevor Cahill (1-1, 4.50). Game time is 6:07 p.m.