M’s build lead, hold off Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Munenori Kawasaki had a three-run double and John Jaso had three hits, leading the Seattle Mariners to an 8-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night. Mariners starter Jason Vargas (7-4) gave up four runs and nine hits in 52/3 innings. He struck out a season-best eight. Kyle Seager homered and Seattle had 10 hits overall. But the Mariners had to survive a late rally by the Angels, who scored twice in the sixth and had two more runs in the eighth. Mike Trout had a career-high four hits and a sacrifice fly and Kendrys Morales hit two home runs for the Angels. Angels manager Mike Scioscia became the ninth manager in A.L. history to manage 2,000 games with one club. Angels starter Ervin Santana’s struggles continued, and Monday’s start was his worst one yet. Santana (2-7) lasted a season-low 42/3 innings, and gave up seven runs and eight hits. He walked six and struck out only one. The Mariners took a 1-0 lead on Seager’s two-out home run in the first inning, his seventh of the sea son. It also was the 16th home run allowed by Santana, most in the majors this year. Albert Pujols’ sacrifice fly in the bottom half tied it at 1. Santana found trouble in the third inning when he walked Dustin Ackley, Seager and Justin Smoak in succession. Jaso followed with a run-scoring single, and Mike Carp grounded into a run-scoring force play. Morales hit his fifth home run of the season with one out in the fourth inning to cut the Angels’ deficit to 3-2. But the Mariners came back with four in the top of the fifth to go up 7-2. The highlight was Kawasaki’s bases-clearing double. Morales homered again for the Angels in the sixth, both home runs Monday coming right-handed. His previous four this season all came from the left side. Trout had an RBI single in the sixth off Mariners reliever Brandon League, and added a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Maicer Izturis had an RBI double to pull the Angels to 8-6 and Los Angeles had the tying runs in scoring position with Pujols at the plate. Mariners manager Eric Wedge brought in Tom Wilhelmsen, who got Pujols to hit a comebacker, and the Angels’ John Hester was thrown out in a rundown between third and home. Hester was able to stay in the rundown long enough to allow Pujols to reach second, but Mark Trumbo struck out to end the threat. It was Trumbo’s fourth strikeout of the game.