Angels Walk-Off In 16th Inning As Mariners Fail To Produce In Clutch

The start to the technical second half of the season began the same way the first half ended. The starting pitching was solid, the bullpen held serve, Robinson Cano was Robinson Cano and everyone else failed to knock people in when it mattered most.

Jered Weaver held the Mariners to two runs in six innings, striking out eight. On the flip side, Hisashi Iwakuma held the Angels to two runs through seven innings and the bullpens took it over late into the night.

In the bottom of the 16th, Efren Navarro doubled off Dominic Leone to score Mike Trout as the Angels won 3-2.

Offensively, this team needs an upgrade, now. All-Star Kyle Seager went 0-for-7 with 3 K and 6 left on base. Mike Zunino was 0-for-7. Logan Morrison was 0-for-5 though he walked twice.

All told, the Mariners left 14 men stranded and were 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Only Brad Miller and Endy Chavez managed to knock in a run apiece.

The bullpen did what they have done all season. After Kuma left, Joe Beimel, Yoervis Medina and Charlie Furbush pitched the 8th – a decision I’m sure manager Lloyd McClendon wouldn’t have made if he knew the game was going to go 16 innings.

Danny Farquhar and Brandon Maurer took the M’s through the 11th and Tom Wilhelmsen pitched four innings. Prior to Leone in the 16th, the Mariners bullpen had pitched 8 IP of relief allowing just four hits, walking none and striking out 10.

In the 16th, Kole Calhoun led off with a ground out to second. Mike Trout then doubled. Then after getting Albert Pujols to ground out, Leone intentionally walked Josh Hamilton (another stupid idea in my opinion) and Navarro pinch-hit for John McDonald.

Navarro ripped the first pitch fastball from Leone to center to end it.

The Mariners look to get back in the win column with Felix Hernandez on the bump Saturday.

BOX SCORE

Batting

Seattle

Batting

2B – J Smoak (13, J Weaver); D Ackley (15, J Weaver)

S – D Ackley 2

RBI – E Chavez (9), B Miller (25)

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out – K Seager 1, J Smoak 2, B Miller 1, M Zunino 1

GIDP – J Smoak

Team LOB – 14

Running

SB – J Jones (18, 2nd base off J Weaver/H Conger)

CS – B Miller (2, 2nd base by H Santiago/H Conger)

Fielding

E – M Zunino (5, field)

DP – 1 (M Zunino-R Cano)

LA Angels

Batting

2B – M Trout 2 (28, Y Medina, D Leone); D Freese (11, H Iwakuma)

S – H Kendrick

RBI – E Navarro (5), D Freese (32), H Conger (20)

2-out RBI – E Navarro

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out – J Hamilton 1, E Aybar 1, C Cron 1

Team LOB – 9

Running

CS – K Calhoun (2, 2nd base by D Farquhar/M Zunino)

Fielding

E – D Freese (2, field)

Outfield assists – M Trout

DP – 2 (H Kendrick-D Freese-A Pujols, F Salas-J McDonald)

Pitching

Seattle

LA Angels

IBB – J Hamilton (by D Leone)

Pitches-strikes – H Iwakuma 77-56; J Beimel 3-2; Y Medina 7-4; C Furbush 7-5; D Farquhar 22-16; B Maurer 12-8; T Wilhelmsen 51-37; D Leone 12-7; J Weaver 104-69; M Morin 13-10; J Thatcher 2-2; K Jepsen 10-5; J Smith 14-10; J Grilli 8-5; F Salas 12-7; C Rasmus 32-22; H Santiago 38-26

Ground balls-fly balls – H Iwakuma 10-9; J Beimel 1-0; Y Medina 1-0; C Furbush 0-0; D Farquhar 1-0; B Maurer 1-0; T Wilhelmsen 4-2; D Leone 3-0; J Weaver 2-6; M Morin 2-1; J Thatcher 1-0; K Jepsen 2-0; J Smith 2-1; J Grilli 2-0; F Salas 0-0; C Rasmus 3-2; H Santiago 3-1

Batters faced – H Iwakuma 27; J Beimel 1; Y Medina 2; C Furbush 2; D Farquhar 6; B Maurer 3; T Wilhelmsen 13; D Leone 5; J Weaver 26; M Morin 4; J Thatcher 1; K Jepsen 3; J Smith 4; J Grilli 3; F Salas 3; C Rasmus 10; H Santiago 10

Game Details

Game Time: 5:14.

Umpires: HP–Ted Barrett. 1B–Alfonso Marquez. 2B–Paul Schrieber. 3B–Adam Hamari.

Weather: 74 degrees, Partly Cloudy.

Wind: 8 mph, Right to Left.

Attendance: 42,517.