The Seattle Mariners can only hope their Saturday doubleheader against the visiting Angels goes better than the last time they played twice in a day vs. Los Angeles.
The Angels swept a twin bill June 18 in Seattle as the teams began to make up games from the first week of the regular season that were postponed due to the spring lockout.
The Angels ended up winning four times in that five-game series, and they earned a 4-3 victory in 10 innings on Friday night in the opener of the current four-game set.
Veteran reliever Jesse Chavez, reacquired by Los Angeles from Atlanta at the trade deadline, got the victory despite allowing three runs in the ninth. Taylor Ward’s sacrifice fly brought home the winning run, and Max Stassi hit a two-run homer for the Angels, who snapped a two-game skid.
“It was a well-played game in all facets,” Angels interim manager Phil Nevin said. “We swung the bats well, didn’t punch a bunch across but got the important ones when needed.”
The Angels won without outfielder Mike Trout, who is a .332 hitter with 33 homers and 79 RBIs in 89 career games in Seattle. Trout is out due to a back issue.
Mariners manager Scott Servais was pleased his team rallied after being blanked for eight innings.
“Nothing surprises me with what this team does in the late innings,” Servais said. “We were right there at the end. We just couldn’t get it done.”
With one out in the bottom of the ninth and Los Angeles up 3-0, Jesse Winker drew a walk off Chavez. Pinch hitter Jake Lamb, a Seattle native making his Mariners debut, grounded a single up the middle.
With two outs, Adam Frazier lined a run-scoring double into the right field corner, and All-Star Ty France, who missed the previous four games with a sore wrist, grounded a two-run single to center to tie it at 3-3.
The Mariners fell into the third and final wild-card playoff position in the American League. They had won their previous two games on the road against the New York Yankees.
“I want to try to focus on the big hits in the ninth,” Servais said. “We’ve been playing really good baseball. That’s why I keep saying every game means the same, whether you beat the Yankees in New York or whether you win or lose here.
“They’re all the same. I know some feel bigger, but a win is a win and a loss is a loss. We’re not going to win every game the rest of season. We need to respond (Saturday) and get after it and do more offensively for sure.”
Angels right-hander Jaime Barria (1-1, 2.55 ERA) is scheduled to make his first start of the season in the Saturday opener against Mariners rookie righty George Kirby (2-3, 3.56).
Barria is 2-4 with a 5.23 ERA in nine career games against the Mariners, including seven starts. Kirby is 0-1, 3.00 after one start versus Los Angeles.
In the nightcap, Angels lefty Reid Detmers (3-3, 3.62) is set to face Seattle right-hander Chris Flexen (7-8, 3.73), who will be trying to win his sixth straight decision.
Detmers is 0-0 with a 10.80 ERA in one career start against Seattle. Flexen is 3-0, 2.67 in six appearances against the Angels, including 1-0 with a 4.35 ERA in two starts this season.
–Field Level Media
