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Sports

Pujols homers, Angels beat Mariners

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Seattle, WA (SportsNetwork.com) - Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Hisashi Iwakuma and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 5-3 on Wednesday.

The Angels won the last two games of the series after falling 4-1 on opening day.

They scored four runs in the first inning off Iwakuma (0-1), who entered the game 6-1 with a 2.75 ERA in 10 previous outings against them.

"We were able to get to (Iwakuma) early," Pujols said. "Honestly, every time you can get to a tough guy like that, it's always a plus."

The Mariners right-hander gave up five runs -- four earned -- on nine hits and no walks in six innings, striking out three.

"He was up in the zone a lot over the first couple of innings," said Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon. "He just couldn't seem to get it down."

Angels righty Matt Shoemaker (1-0) earned the win despite giving up homers to Brad Miller and Kyle Seager. Last year's Rookie of the Year runner-up allowed three runs on six hits and no walks in six innings while striking out five.

Pujols homered into the upper deck inside the left-field pole and the Angels scored their other two runs in the first inning after second baseman Robinson Cano let Erick Aybar's sharp grounder get past him for an error.

They took a 5-0 lead in the second inning after Efren Navarro led off with a double, went to third on Johnny Giavotella's single and scored on Mike Trout's sacrifice fly.

Miller pulled a 1-2 pitch into the right field seats leading off the third inning to get Seattle on the board and Seager's two-out blast to right-center in the sixth scored Cano, who doubled.

Jose Alvarez and Mike Morin pitched the seventh inning for the Angels, Joe Smith escaped a jam in the eighth and Huston Street threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.

Game Notes

Giavotella had three hits ... The Angels host reigning AL champion Kansas City in a three-game series starting with their home opener on Friday ... The Mariners visit Oakland for a three-game series starting Friday.