Maurer lasts 4 innings as Angels beat Mariners 7-5

SEATTLE — So how much longer do the Mariners stick with Brandon Maurer after watching him hawk up another fur ball Thursday in a 7-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels at Safeco Field?

Maurer lasted just four innings but put the Mariners in a five-run hole that proved too much to overcome — especially when playing without Robinson Cano, who was scratched because he wasn’t feeling well.

Cano wasn’t alone by end of the night.

Maurer walked the game’s first hitter, which turned into a run. After working around trouble in the second and third innings, he cratered in a four-run fourth.

“He has struggled,” manager Lloyd McClendon conceded. “When you look at options, you have to sit down and make sure you have a viable option.

“That’s something Jack (Zduriencik, the general manager) and I will talk about and see where we go from here. We’ll see if there’s something we can do to get him straightened out.”

All four runs in the fourth scored with two outs. Erick Aybar’s three-run homer on a red-zone cookie was the key blow. Maurer, 1-4, didn’t return for the fifth, and five runs in four innings pushed his ERA to 7.52.

For all that, Maurer saw positives.

“Mentally, I felt today was the best day I’ve felt,” he said. “I felt calm. There wasn’t as much anxiety as normal. My heart rate stayed down pretty well.”

Specifically, Maurer said he didn’t let the frustration build as it has at times in the past.

“I think today was definitely a good improvement,” he said. “Numbers might not show it, but I definitely felt a lot better than I ever have out there…

“It just kind of falls apart at some point, but I’ll put one together at some point.”

If the Mariners go looking for alternatives, the likeliest candidate is Erasmo Ramirez, who worked six solid innings Thursday for Triple-A Tacoma in a 5-2 victory over Salt Lake.

Ramirez’s overall work for the Rainiers (1-3 with a 4.55 ERA) hasn’t screamed promotion, but…well, who knows? Maybe Maurer gets another look Tuesday in Atlanta.

“It’s hard to analyze right now,” McClendon said. “I’ll have to sit down and look at the tape. Obviously, what I saw wasn’t good. From a technical standpoint, I haven’t had a chance to look at the tape.”

The Mariners’ attack, sans Cano, went nine up and down through three innings against right-hander Matt Shoemaker, whom the Angels recalled Wednesday from Triple-A Salt Lake (which is playing in Tacoma).

Life sprouted in the fourth when Michael Saunders, who replaced Cano as the No. 3 hitter, drove a two-run homer to right. Saunders also had a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

That was about it until Kyle Seager hit a two-run homer in the ninth against Fernando Salas that forced the Angels to summon closer Ernesto Frieri for the final two outs.

“You didn’t want to get down by that (margin),” Seager said, “but (Shoemaker) was throwing the ball well. He kept us off-balance. Unfortunately, we weren’t quite able to get out of it.”

Shoemaker, 3-1, worked into the sixth before the Angels ran through five relievers for the final 11 outs. The Mariners settled for a split in the four-game series and slipped back below .500 at 26-27.

Maurer opened the game by walking Kole Calhoun, a .203 hitter who went to third when Aybar lashed a single to right. Mike Trout’s sacrifice fly, on a line drive to right, made it 1-0.

It was still 1-0 when C.J. Cron rocked a one-out triple off the center-field wall in the fourth. Maurer had a chance to escape after striking out Hank Conger, but Grant Green lined a two-out RBI single into center.

It got worse.

Calhoun drew a walk, and a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Aybar worked the count to 3-2 and, with Trout on deck, got a fastball down the middle from Maurer.

“I just missed my spot,” Maurer said. “Fastball, 3-2. Jumped on it.”

Aybar didn’t miss anything. His 388-foot drive to right easily cleared the wall for a three-run homer and a 5-0 lead.

“That two-out bug got (Maurer) again,” McClendon said. “I saw some things early one where I thought this was going to be a pretty good night. But, obviously, the results were the same.”

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Silvertips forward Carter Bear fields questions after the Detroit Red Wings selected him 13th overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles on June 27, 2025. (Photo courtesy Natalie Shaver / CHL)
Two weeks after Draft, Silvertips’ Bear still can’t believe it

The Red Wings’ first-rounder reflects on draft night and his experience at Detroit’s development camp.

Storm flies too close to the Sun, loses in an upset

Connecticut snapped a 10-game losing streak to beat Seattle 93-83 on Wednesday morning.

Giancarlo Stanton of the New York Yankees flips his bat after hitting a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (Evan Bernstein / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Raleigh, Judge heat up homer race at Yankee Stadium

In the battle of baseball’s biggest sluggers, Aaron Judge… Continue reading

Seattle Seahawks linebackers Derick Hall (58) and Boye Mafe (53) celebrate a defensive play during the 2024 season. (Rio Giancarlo / Getty Images / The Athletic)
Season to reveal long-term plans for Seahawks linebackers

The Seattle Seahawks selected edge rusher Boye Mafe with… Continue reading

Silvertips defenseman wins U20 Ball Hockey World Title with Canada

Rylan Pearce helps Canada win gold at the ISBHF U20 World Championships in Slovakia.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin (89) makes a catch against San Francisco 49ers defensive back Rashard Robinson (33) in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. (Nhat V. Meyer / Bay Area News Group / Tribune News Services)
Sports psychologist changed Seahawks’ Doug Baldwin’s outlook

The former receiver overcame intense emotions during his player career

Paolo Banchero, Orlando agree to max contract extension

The former O’Dea star could earn up to $287 million over five years.

NHL players, owners vote to ratify 4-year CBA

Notable changes include an 84-game season starting in 2026, shorter contract terms.

AquaSox outfielder Carson Jones gets settled in the batter's box during Everett's 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canadians at Funko Field on July 6, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
AquaSox show progress, but drop fifth straight to Canadians

Jones’ go-ahead, 3-run homer is spoiled in 4-3 loss to wrap up homestand.

Bryan Woo of the Seattle Mariners delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Toronto. (Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Three Mariners added to MLB All-Star Game

Major League Baseball announced today that Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez,… Continue reading

George Kirby (68) of the Seattle Mariners pitches in the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at T-Mobile Park on Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Seattle. (Alika Jenne / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Pirates finish historically bad offensive series in Seattle

Similar to the first two games of the series, the… Continue reading

Seattle Storm forward Alysha Clark (32) and Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) guard each other during a free throw in a WNBA basketball game between the Aces and the Seattle Storm at Michelob ULTRA Arena Friday, June 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter / Las Vegas Review-Journal / Tribune News Services)
Storm uses third-quarter thunderbolt to down Liberty

Rookie Dominique Malonga scored 11 and took over in the third quarter for Seattle.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.