Anaheim, CA – Grant Green stroked a three-run double as part of a four-run second inning, as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim held off the Seattle Mariners, 6-5, on Saturday in the middle portion of a three-game set at Angel Stadium.
Collin Cowgill clubbed a solo homer and scored three times, while Andrew Romine added an RBI for the Angels, who have won three straight and six of their last seven games.
Jerome Williams (9-10) held Seattle to one run on five hits and as many walks while striking out five over 5 2/3 innings to pick up the win.
Ernesto Frieri secured his 36th save of the season, despite giving up a solo shot to Raul Ibanez in the ninth.
Joe Saunders (11-16) was tagged for all six runs on six hits over seven innings to absorb the loss.
"Joe threw the ball well," Mariners manager Eric Wedge said of his starter. "He had a rough inning and walked a couple, but he came back strong."
Nick Franklin collected two hits and scored twice for the Mariners, who have lost three straight and six of their last seven games.
LA jumped on Saunders in the second, as Mark Trumbo walked, Chris Iannetta singled and Cowgill earned a free pass before Green cleared the bases with a double to left to give the Angels a 3-0 lead.
After moving to third on a wild pitch, Green scored on Romine's single to right to make it 4-0.
Seattle got a run back in the third on Kyle Seager's run-scoring groundout, but Cowgill homered with one-out in the fourth to restore LA's four-run lead.
After Abraham Almonte scored on a balk in the seventh, Cowgill led off the home half with a triple and stole home two batters later to make it 6-2.
"It was a squeeze," Cowgill said. "It was my job to get a good break. Saunders might have rushed a little bit, but we got the run."
The Mariners moved within two runs in the eighth, as Dustin Ackley capped a string of three straight singles with an RBI base hit to left. Almonte followed with a sacrifice fly to left to make it 6-4.
Ibanez homered with one out in the ninth, but Frieri retired the final two Mariners in order to end the game.
Game Notes
Saunders has lost his last three starts ... Williams collected his fourth straight win ... Seattle went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base.
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