Field Level Media
Sep 15, 2018
Six Seattle Mariners pitchers combined to throw a six-hit shutout in a 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night in Anaheim, Calif.
The Mariners were forced to employ a "bullpen game" because scheduled starter James Paxton was home in Seattle recovering from a "mild form of pneumonia," according to manager Scott Servais.
Roenis Elias, making just his third start in 19 appearances, gave up one hit and two walks in 3 2/3 innings and was followed by Adam Warren (3-2), who went 1 1/3 innings and was credited with the win. Shawn Armstrong, Nick Vincent, Zach Duke and Ryan Cook each pitched one scoreless inning to finish it off.
Ryon Healy and Dee Gordon had the key hits for Seattle, with Healy driving in two runs with a two-out single in the fourth inning and Gordon driving in two with a one-out single in the seventh.
Gordon also made the defensive play of the game, robbing the Angels' Mike Trout of a home run with a leaping catch at the fence in center field in the fourth inning.
Despite the win, the Mariners (81-66) remained 8 1/2 games behind the Oakland A's in the race for the second American League wild-card spot. Seattle has 15 games remaining.
Matt Shoemaker, making his third start for Los Angeles (73-75) since having surgery on his right forearm and missing five months, retired the first nine Seattle batters of the game.
But in the fourth, Mitch Haniger led off with an infield single and went to third on a single by Jean Segura. Robinson Cano followed with an RBI single to put Seattle up 1-0.
After Nelson Cruz grounded out, moving the baserunners to second and third, Shoemaker got what seemed like a big out when he fanned Denard Span for the second out of the inning.
But Healy got ahold of a splitter that Shoemaker left up, hitting it into left field for a two-run single and 3-0 Mariners advantage.
Shoemaker (2-1) lasted just 4 2/3 innings despite striking out eight and walking none. He gave up three runs on five hits.
The Mariners increased their lead to 5-0 in the seventh inning on a two-run single by Gordon off Angels reliever Hansel Robles.
--Field Level Media