Angels end regular season with 4-1 loss to Seattle

KEY MOMENT: In what could be the final at-bat of his 16-year career, veteran infielder John McDonald, 40, laced a run-scoring double to left in the ninth inning. “I just wanted to put a good swing on a ball one more time,” McDonald said, fighting back tears. “It’s a good feeling to get one more hit. It might have more meaning later.” McDonald is not expected to make the playoff roster and is pondering retirement, “but I’m not going to make any knee-jerk decisions,” he said. “The game is funny. You never know where it’s going to take you and when it doesn’t take you anywhere. You have to play it out.” McDonald, who got the game ball from his hit, also flied to deep left in the seventh. “We credited him with a home run in our hearts,” Manager Mike Scioscia said, “because that’s about as far as he can hit a ball.”

AT THE PLATE: Mike Trout finished with a .287 average, .377 on-base percentage, .561 slugging percentage, 36 homers and a league-leading 115 runs and 111 runs batted in. He’s the first player to lead the AL in runs for three straight seasons since Mickey Mantle in 1956-58. But his first-inning strikeout was his 184th of the season, tying Mark Trumbo’s franchise record, set in 2013. Seattle right fielder Michael Saunders had RBI doubles in the second and fourth, and Mike Zunino had a two-run single in the fourth.

ON THE MOUND: Left-hander Joe Thatcher seemed to solidify a playoff roster spot Friday when he retired Dustin Ackley, Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager. But after striking out Seager in the fourth inning Sunday, Thatcher allowed a single to Logan Morrison and Saunders’ RBI double. Left-handers Hector Santiago and Wade LeBlanc, who could pitch out of the bullpen in the division series, each threw two scoreless innings.

IN THE FIELD: Second baseman Howie Kendrick made a diving backhand stop of Cano’s first-inning grounder and threw to first, and shortstop Erick Aybar, whom Scioscia said should win a Gold Glove Award, dived to his left for Cano’s third-inning grounder and threw to first.

EXTRA BASES: Angels pitchers set a franchise record of 1,342 strikeouts, breaking the previous mark of 1,200, set in 2013. . . . The Angels set a club record with 97 errorless games and committed 83 errors, their fewest ever in a non-strike-shortened season. . . . The Angels led the major leagues with 773 runs.