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Seattle Mariners

Out of Right Field: Recap, takeaways from the Seattle Mariners’ 9-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, right, hands the baseball to manager Scott Servais, left, as catcher Omar Narvaez looks on while Kikuchi is pulled during the fourth inning of the team's baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, May 30, 2019, in Seattle. (Ted S. Warren / AP)
By Gene Warnick The Spokesman-Review

Mike Trout returned to the lineup after missing a game with a sore right foot and went 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs as the Los Angeles Angels defeated the host Mariners 9-3 Thursday night.

Trout sat out Wednesday after fouling a ball off his foot Tuesday night at Oakland.

Tim Beckham hit a two-run homer for Seattle, which lost its third straight.

The Angels scored in each of the first five innings in building an 8-0 lead.

Mariners rookie left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (3-3), who got his first major league victory against the Angels on April 20, lasted just 3 1/3 innings. He allowed six runs on 10 hits with two walks and no strikeouts.

Of note

The Mariners faced an “opener” for the third straight game, with Angels RHP Luis Garcia pitching the first inning before giving way to RHP Felix Pena. … Angels DH Shohei Ohtani got the night off, spoiling a chance for him to face Kikuchi. The two both went to Hanamaki Higashi High in Japan, though they were not teammates. Kikuchi struck out Ohtani three times in five at-bats in Nippon Professional Baseball, with Ohtani getting a single and double.

By the numbers

6: Number of victories for the Mariners in the month of May. The M’s are 6-21 and with one game remaining have assured themselves of the worst May in franchise history. The 2008 and 2010 teams both finished the month with eight wins.

Our take from Right Field

Those who claimed this is the worst team in Mariners franchise history were right — at least for May. If the M’s didn’t already have a glut of DH-types it might be a spot for Beckham, who made another error at short.

Up next

The M’s continue a four-game series against the Angels at 7:10 p.m. Friday at T-Mobile Park. RHP Mike Leake (3-6, 4.93 ERA) is set to take the mound against Los Angeles LHP Tyler Skaggs (4-4, 4.40).