Mariners Keep Playoff Hopes Alive After Win Over Angels

SEATTLE (AP) — Kendrys Morales, Michael Saunders and Dustin Ackley homered against Jered Weaver, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 on Friday night to remain in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Seattle remained two games back of Oakland for the second AL wild card. Seattle must win its final two and have Oakland lose its final two to force a one-game playoff on Monday in Seattle.

Morales and Saunders gave Hisashi Iwakuma (15-9) an early lead. Morales hit a leadoff homer in the second and Logan Morrison followed with a base hit to center before Saunders connected for his eighth homer.

Ackley led off the fifth with a drive to the right-field seats.

Iwakuma staggered through his past six starts, giving up at least three earned runs in each one and failing to pitch beyond the fifth four times. He rediscovered his form from earlier in the season, shutting out the Angels for the first five innings.

Los Angeles finally got to Iwakuma in the sixth when Kole Calhoun and Mike Trout hit back-to-back homers. It was Trout's 36th of the season and put him into a tie with Frank Robinson for the fifth-most homers in baseball history before age 23 with 98. It was the sixth time this season the Angels have hit back-to-back homers.

Iwakuma started the seventh but left with one out and a 3-2 count on David Freese after grimacing throwing a pitch and being visited by a trainer.

The Angels tried to rally in the ninth. Erick Aybar's RBI double off Fernando Rodney cut the lead to 4-3, but the closer retired Freese and Brennan Boesch to complete his 48th save.

The Angels' main goal for the weekend was accomplished before first pitch. They locked up home-field advantage throughout the postseason when Baltimore lost 4-2 to Toronto.

Weaver (18-9) made his first start since being slowed by the flu and pitched six innings. Manager Mike Scioscia was hoping to get him enough work to be ready for the postseason, but Weaver allowed three or more homers for the eighth time in his career. Weaver set a new career high with 27 home runs allowed this season.

TRAINER'S ROOM:

Angels: OF Josh Hamilton is not expected to play in the final series of the regular season. The Angels were hopeful he could make it back before the start of the postseason but he's not expected to swing a bat until Saturday. ... RHP Matt Shoemaker (oblique) played catch at 150 feet on Friday and could be throwing off a mound next week.

Mariners: Iwakuma was bothered by a sore back and groin in his previous starts. He was pulled for precautionary reasons and checked out fine, the team announced.

UP NEXT:

Angels: LHP C.J. Wilson (13-10) makes his final start of the regular season and possibly final pitch to be in the rotation for the ALDS. Wilson didn't make it out of the first inning in his last start against Oakland.

Mariners: LHP James Paxton (6-4) struggled last time out in Toronto. He gave up eight earned runs and walked six batters.