Seattle Mariners vs Los Angeles Angels Box Score on Jul 02, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 2, 2017

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- James Paxton allowed two hits and a run in 6 1/3 innings, Robinson Cano slugged a three-run home run in the seventh and center fielder Guillermo Heredia made a game-saving catch in the eighth to give the Seattle Mariners a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels in their series finale on Sunday.

Paxton (6-3) had a perfect game through 5 1/3 innings before a Danny Espinosa single broke it up in the sixth. The left-hander tired in the seventh. allowing back-to-back walks and a run-scoring single to Yunel Escobar.

Jesse Chavez (5-9) took the loss after giving up two runs and four hits in five innings.

Leading 2-1 in the eighth, Cano slugged his 16th home run of the season, a three-run shot off the right-field foul pole, to give the Mariners a 5-1 lead. The inning was set up by Jean Segura's single and a walk to Ben Gamel. It was Cano's sixth home run in his last nine games.

The Angels rallied in the bottom of the eighth, greeting reliever Nick Vincent with four straight singles, by Martin Maldonado, Luis Valbuena, pinch hitter Nick Franklin and Ben Revere, to make it 5-2 with the bases loaded and no outs.

Cameron Maybin slugged a line drive to dead center that Heredia was able to catch over his head with his back to the infield, turning a potential game-tying extra base hit into an out. A run scored on Maybin's fly, but reliever Marc Rzepczynski got Kole Calhoun to pop out and Edwin Diaz retired Albert Pujols on a ground out to end the rally. Diaz worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his13th save,

Paxton started the season on fire, posting a 23-inning scoreless streak, not allowing a run in four of his five starts and going seven innings or more three times. He cooled off in May and endured a streak of three games where he allowed 24 hits and 14 earned runs in 13 innings.

He has been aces against the Angels, with a 4-2 record and 2.02 ERA in his nine career starts, allowing three runs or less in each game.

The Mariners scored runs in the third and fifth with the same combination of hitters.

A walk, a single by Boog Powell and an RBI single by Segura, who was 4-for-5, gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead in the third. Powell, just recalled from Triple-A Tacoma, singled with one out in the fifth and scored from first on Segura's line drive double to the wall in left center.

The Angels had a run in and two on base when Paxton left, but reliever Steve Cishek ended the threat with one pitch, getting Andrelton Simmons to hit a comebacker for a 1-6-3 double play.

NOTES: CF Mike Trout won't travel with the Angels to Minnesota for their three-game series, but he will work out with the club's Class A Inland Empire farm team Monday and Tuesday. He will be re-evaluated after Tuesday's workout and could make a rehab start with Inland Empire and possibly be activated for the Angels' last series before the All-Star break, July 7-9 at Texas. ... RHP Matt Shoemaker is expected to make a start before the All-Star break. He threw a bullpen workout Saturday and reported no pain in his strained forearm. ... Mariners DH Nelson Cruz was not in the lineup Sunday after injuring his right knee sliding into second base early in Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Angels. Cruz ranks second in the AL in RBIs (59) but has gone 22 games without hitting a home run, the last coming on June 4. ... The Mariners recalled OF Boog Powell from Triple-A Tacoma and sent RHP Max Povse back to Tacoma.