Mariners Shut Down Angels 6-0
SEATTLE (AP) -- Carlos Peguero hit a mammoth homer in his first at-bat of the season and Kyle Seager had a two-run homer to help the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-0 on Thursday night.
Peguero hit his solo shot on a 3-2 pitch from Garrett Richards (1-1) in the third, 451 feet to deep center. The only two longer home runs in the stadium's 12 1/2-year history were 462 feet by San Francisco's Barry Bonds (June 16, 2006) and 460 feet by Mariners' Raul Ibanez (June 20, 2007).
It's believed Peguero is the second player ever to hit the centerfield batter's eye. The other was Mike Napoli in 2008. Peguero was called up from Triple-A Tacoma Tuesday when Franklin Gutierrez was placed on the disabled list.
Rookie Brandon Maurer (2-3) went 6 1-3 innings to pick up the victory. He allowed seven hits, struck out six and walked one.
Seager extended his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games. That matches the longest streak in the majors this season, as Chicago Cubs' Starlin Castro and Philadelphia's Michael Young each had 14. Seager is hitting .412 (21 of 51) during his streak. He moved his average from .147 to .306. It also was his third three-hit game this season.
Jason Bay had two hits and two RBI and Endy Chavez had three hits.
After posting a 16.20 ERA in his first two starts, Maurer has a 1.89 ERA in his last three games.
The Mariners continued to rally in the third. Bay singled to right and advanced to second on Chavez's one-out single to right. Seager followed with his single to left, scoring Bay from second.
The Mariners added a pair of runs in the seventh on Bay's bases-loaded single to left. He is a .287 career hitter with the bases loaded. It was the Mariners first hit in 10 tries with the bases loaded this season.
Seager finished the scoring in the eighth when he hit his third home run of the season on a 2-1 pitch Nick Maronde.
Notes: The Mariners are dealing with a series of injuries to key players. OF Michael Saunders (right AC joint) likely will be sent out to Tacoma Friday to rehab. OF Franklin Gutierrez (right hamstring), placed on the DL Thursday, has a grade 1 strain, based on Thursday's MRI. He could be out two to three weeks. Also, OF Michael Morse (non-displaced right pinkie finger fracture) is playing through the pain, although hitting just .162 since his injury (April 16). "We're dinged up. It is what it is," Mariners' manager Eric Wedge said. ... Angels also have a healthy list of key unavailable players. RHP Tommy Hanson, on bereavement leave, is expected to start Monday against Oakland. "We're penciling him in on Monday. We'll get more clarity within the next 48 hours," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. SS Erick Aybar (left heel contusion) played five innings in the minors on his way back. He'll be evaluated Friday. 2B Alberto Callaspo (right calf strain) is eligible to come off the DL this weekend.
