Mariners increase win streak to nine

SEATTLE (AP) — The Mariners increased their win streak to nine straight after their weekend series against the Los Angeles Angels. 

Friday:

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.

In the sixth inning, right fielder Victor Robles robbed Angels cleanup hitter Taylor Ward of a double that would have likely scored two runs. Instead, Los Angeles was held scoreless until the seventh inning.

Polanco has recorded a double in five consecutive games, tied for the longest active streak in the majors this season. It’s also the longest streak for a Mariners player since Raúl Ibañez from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2 in 2004.

Saturday:

Bryan Woo struck out a career-high 13, J.P. Crawford hit a go-ahead homer in the fourth inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-3 on Saturday night to stay tied with Houston atop the AL West with their eighth straight win.

Matt Brash worked the ninth inning for his fourth save, allowing a solo home run to Taylor Ward.

Woo (14-7) pitched six innings, allowing two runs on three hits while walking one. He has pitched five innings or more in 31 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the AL.

The winning streak matches their longest of the season, Aug. 3-12.

Woo surrendered Jo Adell's 36th homer and an RBI single by Bryce Teodosio in the second inning, then retired the next 13 batters he faced.

Seattle scored early against Angels starter Mitch Farris (1-1), who lasted only four innings, yielding five runs on five hits, walking four and striking out seven. Jorge Polanco hit a two-run double in the first, and Crawford hit his 10th homer of the year in the fourth.

Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery was away for a funeral, so Ryan Goins was the acting manager for Saturday’s game.

Seattle holds the second AL wild-card spot in a tie with the Boston Red Sox.

Josh Naylor worked an 11-pitch at-bat against Chase Silseth in the fifth, concluding with a two-run single to extend Seattle’s lead 5-2.

Polanco’s two-run double in the first inning was his eighth straight game with an extra-base hit. It’s the longest streak by a Mariner this season.

Sunday:

Cal Raleigh tied Mickey Mantle’s season record for most home runs by a switch hitter with his 54th, and the Seattle Mariners extended their winning streak to nine by routing the Los Angeles Angels 11-2 Sunday to take sole possession of the AL West lead for the first time since June.

George Kirby matched his career high with 14 strikeouts as the Mariners completed a four-game sweep and won for the 20th time in their last 23 home games.

Jorge Polanco had three doubles and has had doubles in seven straight games, tying the Mariners' record.

Seattle (82-68) moved one game ahead of Houston (81-69) at the top of the division, winning nine in a row for the first time since a 14-game streak from July 2-17, 2022, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Mariners had not been alone in first place since before play on June 3.

Kirby (9-7) allowed two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings, walking none and leaving after 101 pitches. He also struck out 14 Angels on June 8 in Los Angeles.

Batting left-handed in the first inning, Raleigh had a first-pitch homer to left-center off Kyle Hendricks for a 2-0 lead. Mantle hit his 54 homers for the 1961 New York Yankees. Raleigh’s homer was his record-setting 43rd homer this season as a catcher, one more than Atlanta’s Javy López in 2003.

Hendricks (7-10) gave up nine runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Mariners third baseman Yoán Moncada left in the middle of the fifth inning because of a sore left ankle.

Christian Moore and Oswald Peraza hit solo homers for the Angels. Denzer Guzmán got his first two big league hits.

Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (4-6, 3.54) started Tuesday at Kansas City, which goes with RHP Michael Wacha (9-11, 3.45).