Angels have enough to beat M’s

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Kelvim Escobar pitched seven strong innings, Vladimir Guerrero hit a three-run double and the short-handed Los Angeles Angels beat Seattle 5-2 Thursday night to hand the Mariners their eighth straight loss.

The Angels played without second baseman Adam Kennedy and reliever Kevin Gregg as each began a four-game suspension for their roles in Wednesday night’s bench-clearing brawl at Texas. Manager Mike Scioscia started serving a three-game suspension. Brendan Donnelly appealed his four-game suspension but didn’t pitch in the game.

Escobar (9-10) won for the fourth time in five decisions after going 0-7 over his previous eight starts. The right-hander allowed a run and seven hits.

The Mariners’ eight-game skid is their worst since they lost nine in a row in July 2004. Jamie Moyer (6-12) was charged with three runs and seven hits over 6 2/3 innings in his third start of the season against Los Angeles. The 43-year-old left-hander fell to 18-16 against the Angels in his career.

Seattle’s Kenji Johjima hit an RBI double off Scot Shields in the ninth before Francisco Rodriguez got two outs for his 32nd save in 35 chances. Rodriguez threw a wild pitch that put runners on second and third but rebounded to strike out pinch-hitter Chris Snelling and retire Ichiro Suzuki on a groundout to end the game.

The Angels built a 2-0 lead with sacrifice flies by Orlando Cabrera in the third inning and Howie Kendrick in the fourth. Kendrick’s came after a triple by Garret Anderson.

The Mariners finally broke through against Escobar in the seventh when Johjima led off with a double, took third on Yuniesky Betancourt’s single to right and scored on a double-play grounder by Willie Bloomquist.

Chone Figgins chased Moyer in the bottom half with his third hit of the game, a two-out double. Rookie Mark Lowe hit Maicer Izturis with a pitch and walked Cabrera, loading the bases for Guerrero, who lined a 0-1 pitch to right-center to clear the bases and give the Angels a 5-1 lead.

Lowe, who didn’t retire any of the four batters he faced, had not allowed a run in 17 2/3 innings over his previous 13 appearances since his promotion from Double-A San Antonio on July 7 – a franchise record for shutout innings from the start of a career.

Notes

Seattle first baseman Richie Sexson rejoined the team after missing three games for the arrival of his newborn twins, who were born more than five weeks prematurely. … Seattle optioned infielder Mike Morse to Triple-A Tacoma to make room for Sexson, who came off the bereavement list. They also activated outfielder Snelling from the 15-day disabled list and optioned right-hander Sean Green to Tacoma. … Seattle’s Adrian Beltre extended his hitting streak to 13 games.