Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Grant Green's RBI single in the ninth inning lifted the LA Angels of Anaheim past the Seattle Mariners, 6-5, in the rubber match of a three-game set.
After Fernando Rodney (1-4) walked Mike Trout to start the bottom of the ninth, Albert Pujols doubled down the line in right, scoring Trout and tying the game at 5-5.
Josh Hamilton singled to left and Howie Kendrick was intentionally walked to load the bases. David Freese grounded into a double play, and Efren Navarro was intentionally walked to load the bases again. Green then stepped to the plate and sent a grounder into center to score Hamilton and end the game.
"All the pressure was on [Rodney]," said Green. "My job is to put the ball in play."
Rodney gave up two runs in 1 1/3 innings of work for the loss and his third blown save of the season.
Joe Thatcher (2-1) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up the win for the Angels, who bounced back from losing Saturday's game in 12 innings.
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision. Chris Young allowed just three runs on 10 hits and struck out seven in six innings for the Mariners and Tyler Skaggs allowed five runs in 6 2/3 innings for the Angels.
After getting the final out in the eighth inning, Rodney did his usual bow and arrow save celebration in the direction of the Angels' dugout. When Trout scored the tying run, he and Pujols exchanged arrows to mock Rodney.
"The fans booed at the end of the eighth," said Rodney. "I did that for the fans. [The Angels] got emotional. The game changed when Pujols plopped the double. I have no regrets. It was at the fans."
Seattle wasted no time getting on the board. Kyle Seager hit a solo homer to right in the top of the first. Then, with runners on the corners, Corey Hart singled, scoring Stefen Romero. and Dustin Ackley knocked in a run to increase the lead to 3-0.
The Angels responded with a run in their half as Kole Calhoun singled to center and Hamilton knocked him in with a line-drive double.
Los Angeles tied the game in the third with back-to-back homers. Calhoun hit a leadoff shot to right and Trout homered to center for his 23rd of the year.
The Mariners took the lead again in the top of the seventh, as Mike Zunino doubled to left to score James Jones, who was pinch-running for Hart. Endy Chavez singled on a soft liner to left, which scored Zunino.
In the next half inning, Howie Kendrick brought LA back to within a run. With runners on first and second, Kendrick grounded one up the middle and off the glove of shortstop Brad Miller to score Trout, putting the score at 5-4.
The Mariners put two men on in the top of the ninth, but couldn't stretch their lead. After Zunino and Brad Miller singled, Chavez grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Game Notes
Thirty of the Angels' 59 victories have been in comeback fashion ... The Mariners were 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position, while the Angels were just 3-for-13 ... For the game, the Angels left 12 runners on base ... Green's walk-off single was his only hit of the game. He went 1-for-5.
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