Rough Start to Angels

 

The Seattle Mariners want to be able to nail the Angels so that they can't make a run to the playoffs which will be start to do. The Oakland A's lost to the Houston Astros Tuesday Night in extra innings while the Mariners lost to the Angels 9-3. The A's have won 17 out of the last 22 games so they are now six games behind the Mariners and the Angels are nine games behind.

 

Everything looked good starting out because Dee Gordon and Jean Segura hit singles then Mitch Haniger hit a three run homer to put the Mariners up 3-0 however it was down hill from then on. They were able to hit off well in the first couple innings off of starting pitcher Garrett Richards of the Angels even for the outs. For example Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seagers hit a couple good ones but they went for outs. Richards had to leave the game in the third inning because of an injury. Unfortunately Mike Leake didn't do any better than Richards and then the Mariners couldn't get to Noe Ramirez who relieved Richards or any of the other  relievers of the Angels.

 

The Angels got one run off of Leake in the first inning and then tied the Mariners in the second.  The Angels took the lead in the fourth inning scoring four runs including a two-run homer from Luis Pujols. Nick Rumbelow who was brought up again to replace Felix Hernandez who was added to the disabled list. We should see Felix again when he comes back after the All-Star break. Rumbelow pitched two innings including giving up a home run to right fielder Calhoun. Roenis Elias pitched the last two innings for the Mariners giving up two hits and gave up a run in the eighth. At that point the game was already decided.

 

We do hope the Mariners can get off to the same start Wednesday against the Angels however Marco Gonzales will be able to pitch better and longer than Leake did in the game. It is OK if the Mariners have their starting pitches struggle long as it is not at the same time. The offense has been having a hard time recently scoring runs.  We hope that Gonzales will be able to go six plus innings leading ahead. Having the day off on Monday the Mariners should not have to skip anyone in the starting rotation and replace Felix either.

 

Just over an hour the voting for Jean Segura should be over. He is leading right now and we hope that he gets in. Keep on voting up until then. Go M's.