Angels Sink Mariners Behind Strong Nolasco Start, 4-0
ANAHEIM (AP) — Ricky Nolasco pitched a three-hitter for his second straight scoreless outing, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 4-0 on Saturday night.
Nolasco (4-9) did not walk a batter and struck out seven in his first complete game of the season. He was coming off 6 1/3 scoreless innings in a 4-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, a stark turnaround from a disappointing stretch that left manager Mike Scioscia defending Nolasco's place in the rotation.
Nolasco leads the American League with 23 home runs allowed. This was his sixth career shutout, and the first by an Angels pitcher this season.
Andrelton Simmons hit a solo home run off Seattle rookie Sam Gaviglio (3-3) in the second to give Los Angeles the early lead. The Angels added another run in the third when Ben Revere singled, stole second and scored on Cameron Maybin's base hit.
The Angels added two more in the seventh. After Yunel Escobar singled and Luis Valbuena doubled, the Mariners intentionally walked Martin Maldonado. Marc Rzepczynski's wild pitch scored one and Revere's infield out scored the second.
Gaviglio allowed six runs, five hits and a walk.
Seattle designate hitter Nelson Cruz left the game after his first at-bat with what the Mariners said was right knee discomfort. In his lone at-bat, he drove a pitch off the center field wall but was thrown out arriving late to second. It was his 37th birthday.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mariners: RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (right shoulder inflammation) threw in the bullpen, but the team remains undecided on his next step. Iwakuma, 36, has not pitched since May 3. When his first attempt at rehabbing the shoulder went badly and the soreness continued, he was again shut down.
Angels: RHP Bud Norris (knee inflammation) was activated. ... OF Mike Trout completed his second consecutive day of on-field batting practice. ... LHP Andrew Heaney, who had Tommy John surgery last July 1, threw 90 pitches in four simulated innings and will next head to the team's training facility in Phoenix. Said Scioscia: "Remarkable. Everything was as good as you could hope for." Thought out for the season, the Angels now think Heaney may pitch in 2017.
UP NEXT
Mariners: LHP James Paxton (5-3) is scheduled to make his 13th start and seventh since coming off the disabled list, against the Angels on Sunday. Paxton is 3-2 lifetime (eight starts) against the Angels with a 2.12 ERA.
Angels: RHP Jesse Chavez (5-8) hopes to get his season turned around in Sunday's series finale against the Mariners. He is 2-3 with a 6.00 ERA in his last eight starts. In 18 appearances against Seattle (eight starts) he is 1-6 with a 5.40 ERA.
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