M’s end skid at 12 games
SEATTLE – Kenji Johjima drove in three runs to lead the Seattle Mariners’ comeback from a four-run deficit to snap a 12-game losing streak with a 9-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.
The Mariners, who trailed 6-2 after five innings, scored four run in the sixth to tie the game then added three in the seventh. Johjima had a two-run double in the sixth and a run-scoring single in the seventh.
Gary Matthews Jr. had a two-run homer in the second for the Angels and Mike Napoli added a three-run blast in the fourth. Napoli had three hits.
It was a game with varying significance for both teams. The Angels (97-60) are trying to hold off Tampa Bay (95-62) for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs while the Mariners are barely fending off 100 losses.
The Rays swept a doubleheader from Baltimore on Tuesday so the Angels’ magic number to clinch home-field remains at four with five games remaining.
The Angels, who have never finished with the best record in baseball, are two wins short of the franchise record set by the 2002 team that won the World Series.
Seattle (58-99) is trying to avoid losing 100 games for the fourth time in franchise history. The Mariners are trying to avoid the dubious distinction of being the first major league team with a $100 million payroll to lose 100 games.
Angels starter Jered Weaver gave up all four runs in the sixth. Weaver might have escaped much of the damage but couldn’t handle a comebacker by Jeremy Reed. It was ruled a hit, drove in a run and set up Johjima’s double.
Reed had a one-out RBI single off Kevin Jepsen (0-1) in the seventh to break the tie.
Roy Corcoran (6-2) went two innings and issued a walk to earn the victory.
J.J. Putz worked a routine ninth to pick up his 14th save in 22 opportunities.
After Howie Kendrick bounced a two-out single through the middle in the second, Matthews crushed his two-run homer to deep center. It was his eighth of the season, but first since June 11 against Tampa Bay.
The Mariners tied it in the third when Johjima singled and advanced to third on a two-out double by Ichiro Suzuki that extended his hitting streak to 16 games. Yuniesky Betancourt drove in both with a broken-bat single to center.
Kendrick singled to begin the Angels’ three-run fourth. Matthews walked and Napoli his a 447-foot shot off Ryan Feierabend.
Valdimir Guerrero made it 6-2 in the sixth with a sacrifice fly.
Angels left-hander Joe Saunders remained in Los Angeles dealing with a reluctant kidney stone. It’s not certain when he will rejoin the team but manager Mike Scioscia indicated it won’t be more than another day or two. Asked if missing his scheduled start (Thursday) would affect Saunders’ playoff readiness, Scioscia said, “I think one guy just missing a start it won’t have that much of an effect. If we started the playoffs tomorrow it would be an issue.”