Angels rally for 6-3 victory over the Mariners and to get back into a wild-card playoff spot

Luis Valbuena’s two-run homer in the seventh inning pulled the Angels even with the Mariners. In the eighth, Albert Pujols added a two-run double to complete the rally and the Angels’ 6-3 victory over Seattle on Saturday night.

For the third straight game, the Mariners saw their bullpen problems fester while trying to hold a lead. Valbuena’s homer came off reliever Casey Lawrence and after the Mariners got six surprisingly strong innings out of starter Erasmo Ramirez.

Tony Zych (5-3) ran into even more trouble in the eighth. Zych walked the first two batters before giving up Pujols’ double to the gap. Kole Calhoun singled and Andrelton Simmons’ sacrifice fly scored Pujols for a three-run lead. Seattle’s bullpen has allowed 13 runs in the first three games of the series.

Los Angeles has won five straight and has moved into the second wild card spot in the American League.

The Mariners got a strong start from Ramirez after he underperformed in his first two starts since being acquired from Tampa Bay. Ramirez allowed three hits and one unearned run. But all the good from Ramirez’s start was quickly undone by the bullpen. Lawrence gave up a one-out single to C.J. Cron and Valbuena’s line-drive homer to right field to tie the game at 3-all, followed by Zych’s issues in the eighth.

While Seattle’s bullpen has struggled, the Angels’ relievers have been solid. Starter JC Ramirez was done after five innings following Kyle Seager’s 18th home run that gave Seattle a 3-1 lead. Jesse Chavez allowed four hits in 1 2/3 innings but was not scored on, helped by two Mariners getting caught stealing and a perfect relay to get Yonder Alonso trying to score from first on Robinson Cano’s double in the seventh. Cano was stranded at third as Keynan Middleton (4-0) got Nelson Cruz to ground out to end the inning.

Blake Parker worked the eighth allowing one single and Cam Bedrosian pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

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