Angels are sitting pretty after victory

They move into 2nd wild-card spot after rallying past Seattle for 5th straight win.

ANGELS 6 SEATTLE 3

SEATTLE — Luis Valbuena’s two-run homer in the seventh inning pulled Los Angeles even, Albert Pujols added a two-run double in the eighth and the Angels rallied for a 6-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night.

For the third straight game, the Mariners saw their bullpen problems fester while trying to hold a lead. Valbuena’s homer came off reliever Casey Lawrence and after the Mariners got six surprisingly strong innings out of starter Erasmo Ramirez.

Tony Zych (5-3) ran into even more trouble in the eighth. Zych walked the first two batters before giving up Pujols’ double to the gap. Kole Calhoun singled and Andrelton Simmons’ sacrifice fly scored Pujols for a three-run lead. Seattle’s bullpen has allowed 13 runs in the first three games of the series.

The Angels have won five straight and moved into the second wild card spot in the American League.

A solid Ramirez start was quickly undone by the bullpen. Lawrence gave up a one-out single to C.J. Cron and Valbuena’s homer tied the game 3-3, followed by Zych’s issues in the eighth.

While Seattle’s bullpen has struggled, the Angels’ relievers have been solid. Starter JC Ramirez was done after five innings following Kyle Seager’s home run that gave Seattle a 3-1 lead. Jesse Chavez allowed four hits in 12⁄3 innings but was not scored on, helped by two Mariners getting caught stealing and a perfect relay to get Yonder Alonso trying to score from first on a double in the seventh.

Cano was stranded at third as Keynan Middleton (4-0) got Nelson Cruz to ground out to end the inning. Blake Parker worked the eighth and Cam Bedrosian pitched the ninth for his fifth save.