Mariners grab wins in first two games against Angels

SEATTLE (AP) - The Mariners worked hard to solidify their ranking in the AL West on Thursday and Friday with two wins against the Los Angeles Angels. 

Thursday’s game  

Rookie pinch-hitter Harry Ford drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the 12th inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-6 on Thursday night to move into a tie with Houston atop the AL West. 

It was the second straight walk-off victory in extra innings for the Mariners, who extended their win streak to six games. Leo Rivas hit a two-run homer in the 13th inning Wednesday night to complete a series sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Mike Trout launched his 399th career home run for the Angels, tying it 4-all in the fifth inning after they fell behind 4-0 in the second. 

Logan Davidson hit his first major league homer to begin the Los Angeles comeback. 

J.P. Crawford had three RBIs for the Mariners, including a tying single in the 11th. Crawford and Julio Rodríguez each hit a two-run double in the second. 

Matthew Lugo gave the Angels a 6-5 lead with an RBI single off winning pitcher José Castillo (2-2) in the 12th, but Jorge Polanco led off the bottom half with a double against Sammy Peralta (0-1) that scored automatic runner Josh Naylor. 

Seattle loaded the bases with nobody out, and Ford’s fly to right field scored Polanco with a headfirst slide for the top prospect's first RBI in four big league plate appearances. 

Bryce Miller struck out a career-high 11 in 5 2/3 innings for the Mariners. 

Friday match-up  

Mitch Garver hit a go-ahead, solo home run in the seventh inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 2-1 on Friday night for their seventh straight win. 

Garver turned on an elevated fastball from reliever Connor Brogdon (3-2) and hit it into the left-field bleachers for his ninth home run of the season. Seattle remained in a tie with the Houston Astros atop the AL West for a second straight night. 

The Mariners went in front in the fourth inning on a two-out, two-strike RBI double by Jorge Polanco. The switch-hitter kept his hands inside on a fastball from Yusei Kikuchi, cranking it to left to drive in Cal Raleigh, who doubled earlier in the inning. 

The Angels were held scoreless until the top of the seventh inning, when Logan Davidson tied it with an RBI double off reliever Carlos Vargas (5-5). 

After Garver's homer in the bottom of the seventh, the Mariners' bullpen made sure it stood, with Andrés Muñoz getting the last three outs for his 35th save of the season. 

The third game in the series was not finished as of press time and will be published online as it is available and will be included in Tuesday's edition of the Columbia Basin Herald.