Mariners’ five-run rally in the ninth falls just short

Mariners’ five-run rally in the ninth falls just short

Seattle loses to the Angels 8-6 for just its second road loss of the season

  • By DAN GREENSPAN Associated Press
  • Sunday, April 21, 2019 6:09pm
  • Sports

Herald news services

ANAHEIM — This time, the home runs came just a little too late.

For eight innings Sunday, the Mariners weren’t the team hitting homers, they were the team giving them up. It was a reversal of the previous three games at Angels Stadium, where Seattle hitters pummeled Angels pitchers with 11 dingers.

Unfortunately for the Mariners, a three-homer explosion in the top of the ninth wasn’t enough to overcome a serious deficit created by their bullpen in the two innings prior.

So, instead of magical rally for a victory and four-game series sweep, Seattle had to settle for a series win after an 8-6 loss to the Angels.

“We put a little pressure on them in the ninth,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “I looked at Manny Acta in the top of the ninth and said, ‘We haven’t hit a homer today.’ And sure enough we went out and hit a few to make it interesting.”

Indeed, it appeared the Mariners might go without a homer for just the second time in 25 games this season. They entered the ninth inning down 8-1 and seemingly ready for Monday’s off day in San Diego.

But Tom Murphy hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth off reliever Noe Ramirez and Dee Gordon followed with a solo homer that made it 8-4. Angels manager Brad Ausmus went to his closer, Cody Allen, who served up a two-run homer to Mitch Haniger that made it 8-6.

Following Allen’s walk to Domingo Santana, Ausmus turned to his third pitcher of the inning. Right-hander Luis Garcia got Edwin Encarnacion to pop up to first to end the game.

“They are going to put together good at-bats and they are going to score their runs, and they did in the ninth inning, but we were able to hold them off so we’ll take it,” said Tommy La Stella, who hit two home runs for the Angels.

The three homers in the ninth gives Seattle 56 HRs this season — the most in Major League Baseball.

“We have a lot of power in this lineup, so you are really never out of a game,” Haniger said.

The Angels smashed three homers off of Mike Leake, scored four insurance runs off the Mariners’ bullpen — including another home run — and used a combined effort that featured an opener in Hansel Robles and a scheduled starter Jaime Barria pitching five innings of “relief.”

“I thought Mike threw the ball fine,” Servais said of Leake. “It was just the home run ball. We were on the other side of it early in the ball game.”

The Angels jumped on Leake in the second inning. Brian Goodwin worked a leadoff walk and Kevan Smith followed with a deep driver over the wall in center for his first homer of the season and a 2-0 lead.

Seattle trimmed the lead in half in the top of the third. Mitch Haniger doubled to start the inning and Domingo Santana sent a line drive back up the middle, just missing Barria’s ear for an RBI single. It was Santana’s 26th RBI of the season — the most in the American League.

But Leake couldn’t keep the deficit to just one run. He allowed a solo homer to La Stella in the fourth inning and a solo homer to Goodwin in the sixth inning to make it 4-1.

Leake worked the six innings, allowing the four runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out four.

“I left some pitches up a little bit …,” Leake said. “It was a day that I was having to work to get the ball down in the zone and it wasn’t necessarily getting there easily.”

The Mariners best chance for hitting their way back into the game came in the seventh inning when they loaded the bases with two out. Mallex Smith got ahead 3-0 vs. right-hander Ty Buttrey. But Smith got aggressive on a 3-1 pitch and grounded out to short to end the inning and the threat.

“I thought we had a chance to get back in it and we couldn’t get the big hit there,” Servais said.

Any comeback hopes ended in the seventh when Shawn Armstrong struggled, giving up a pair of runs on a run-scoring single from Justin Bour and an RBI ground-rule double from Andrelton Simmons to make it 6-1.

In what was probably his final appearance before being sent back to Class AAA Tacoma, Ruben Alanize struggled to get through the eight. Alaniz’s first pitch of the inning was hammered by La Stella for his second homer of the game. A wild pitch on a third strike allowed David Fletcher to reach first base and he scored on Kole Calhoun’s double into right field to make it 8-1.

“The tack-on runs, that’s what hurt is in the last homestand a little bit,” Servais said. “I think everybody believes in our offense and we certainly believe in our offense. So if you can keep them right there, we always have a chance to come back.”

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

The Edmonds-Woodway bench reacts to a foul call during the game against Shorewood on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025 in Shoreline, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Monday, Feb. 10

Warriors win battle of division champs.

Lake Stevens’ Kamryn Mason attempts to flip Glacier Peak’s Kyla Brown onto her back during 110-pound match at the 4A girls wrestling district tournament on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Vikings girls wrestling conquers 4A District 1 Tournament

Lake Stevens dominated with champions in six weight classes and 18 total state-qualifiers

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) smiles as head coach Nick Sirianni holds up the Lombardi trophy after they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. (Timothy A. Clary / AFP / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Eagles overwhelm Chiefs to win the Super Bowl

The Philadelphia Eagles perhaps did not vanquish the Kansas… Continue reading

Coach Derek Lopez (far right) and the Lake Stevens boys' wrestling team celebrates with their championship trophy at the WIAA 4A District 1 Tournament at Jackson High School on Feb. 8, 2025.
Lake Stevens boys capture district wrestling title

The Vikings had 17 state-qualifiers; second-place Arlington led with five weight class winners

Edmonds-Woodway wrestlers react to a pin during the match against Meadowdale on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep boys wrestling roundup for Saturday, Feb. 8

Edmonds-Woodway boys wins Wesco 3A South wrestling title.

Kamiak’s Kai Burgess has her arm raised in the air after beating Arlington’s Jaymari O’Neal in the 125-pound match at the 4A girls wrestling district tournament on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Rebuilding Kamiak girls wrestling steps forward at District Tournament

Ki Burgess and Eden Cole each won their weight class in Friday’s WIAA District 1 Girls’ 4A Tournament

Prep basketball roundup for Saturday, Feb. 8

Tulalip Heritage boys advance to district title game.

Meadowdale’s Kyairra Roussin takes the ball to the hoop during the game against Archbishop Murphy on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep girls basketball roundup for Friday, Feb. 7

Kyairra Roussin’s deep buzzer-beater lifts Meadowdale over Stanwood.

Prep boys basketball roundup for Friday, Feb. 7

Lake Stevens passes Mariner in league standings to take final district slot.

Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren watches his team against Washington Sunday, November 9, 2003. (George Bridges / KRT / Tribune News Services)
No Holmgren in Hall is a travesty

The Former Seahawks coach carries a resume superior to many already in the HOF.

A Snohomish School District truck clears the parking lot at Glacier Peak High School on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. (Aaron Coe / The Herald)
Inclement weather cancellations strain high school sports calendar

With state tournaments on the horizon, ADs from Wesco, Northwest and Kingco must be flexible

Gonzaga overcomes stagnant start to beat LMU

Bulldogs get ‘best of best’ play down the stretch in 73-53 win.

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.