Newly-paid LeBlanc stellar as Mariners beat Angels 4-1
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Associated Press
SEATTLE — Wade LeBlanc allowed one run over seven innings and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 on Tuesday night for their eighth straight victory.
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani was activated from the 10-day disabled list and went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in his return. He had been sidelined since June 8 with a Grade 2 ulnar collateral ligament sprain.
The Mariners announced they signed LeBlanc (4-0) to a contract extension before his start and the soft-tossing left-hander showed them they made a good decision. LeBlanc allowed three hits, struck out four and retired his final 11 batters.
LeBlanc’s contract reportedly extends him through the 2019 season, with a base salary of $2.75 million and incentives that could raise that to $4.75 next season, and contains club options valued at $5 million with a $450,000 buyout the three following seasons.
Alex Colome picked LeBlanc up by stranding Kole Calhoun after his one-out double in the eighth and Edwin Diaz earned his American League-leading 33rd save with a clean ninth inning.
Kyle Seager was 2 for 4 and drove in a pair of runs with a bases-loaded double in the first. Nelson Cruz provided insurance with a solo homer in the eighth.
Andrew Heaney (4-6) tied a career high with 10 strikeouts, but was tagged with three runs in the first inning to fall behind and was handed the loss.
Andrelton Simmons’ homer in the fourth was all the Angels could muster offensively.
300 CLUB
Mariners second baseman Dee Gordon stole third base in the eighth inning to put him at 300 career stolen bases.
TRAINER’S ROOM
ANGELS: Angels outfielder Chris Young exited in the first inning with a left hamstring strain, the club announced. Young stumbled to the ground while fielding Seager’s double to right field and fell to the ground in noticeable pain, staying there until leaving the game with trainers.
MARINERS: Mariners manager Scott Servais said Erasmo Ramirez’s bullpen on Sunday went well and the right-hander will move on with his throwing program.
