Angels 4, Seattle 2
KEY MOMENT: With a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning, Angels pitcher Garrett Richards gave up consecutive one-out singles to Mike Zunino and Logan Morrison. Zunino scored from third on a wild pitch, but third baseman David Freese then saved a run with a diving backhand stop that held Seth Smith to an infield single and prevented Morrison from scoring. Richards got Robinson Cano to hit into a double play.
AT THE PLATE: Kole Calhoun hit a two-run home run to right-center field in the first inning to give the Angels the lead. It was Calhoun’s seventh homer. Johnny Giavotella delivered a bases-loaded single in the seventh inning to put the Angels ahead, 3-1, and Carlos Perez drove in a run with a ground ball to shortstop.
ON THE MOUND: Richards struck out six and walked one. He was replaced by Joe Smith with two out in the eighth after Willie Bloomquist reached and advanced to second on a throwing error by shortstop Taylor Featherston. Smith struck out Nelson Cruz. Huston Street gave up a two-out single and a walk in the ninth but got Zunino to hit a ground ball to Featherston, who threw to Giavotella for a force out that gave Street his 21st save.
EXTRA BASES: For the first time since joining the Angels, outfielder Daniel Robertson started in the leadoff spot. He singled in the first inning. Before the game, Robertson said he was capable of hitting throughout the order, but of batting first he said, “It’s where I’m comfortable. I feel it’s where my game plays, so we’ll see how it works out.”
INJURY REPORT: Shortstop Erick Aybar was not in the lineup because of a left-hamstring strain suffered Friday, but he pinch-hit with the bases loaded in the seventh inning and popped out. Aybar said before the game that he expected to start Sunday. “That’s the plan,” he said. . . . Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano suffered a contusion after he was hit in the head by a ball while sitting in the dugout before the top of the seventh inning. Cano was struck by an errant throw by Featherston during infield warm-ups. Featherston said the ball slipped and he called Cano after the game to apologize. “It never happened to me before and I can only hope and pray it never happens again,” Featherston said. “I feel terrible about it.”
DRAFT UPDATE: The Angels signed Louisiana State outfielder Jared Foster, a fifth-round pick, for $100,000, about one-third of his suggested slot value of $304,700. The Angels also signed Los Angeles Hamilton High School catcher Dalton Blumenfeld, a 12th-round pick, for $250,000, 21⁄ times more than his suggested slot value of $100,000. The Angels
2 have now signed 37 of 40 picks from the early June draft.
UP NEXT: Left-hander Hector Santiago (4-4, 2.68 ERA) faces the Mariners’ Felix Hernandez (10-4, 3.24) on Sunday at 12:35 p.m. at Angel Stadium. TV: Fox Sports West; Radio: 830, 1330.