Angel Hopes Are Cooled by Madritsch

A 55-degree evening in Safeco Field lent an October-like feel to the proceedings Tuesday night, but the only chill the Angels felt was the one the Seattle Mariners and rookie left-hander Bobby Madritsch put on their playoff hopes.

Madritsch, a 28-year-old who spent the 2001 and 2002 seasons pitching for four different independent league teams, blanked the Angels over eight innings, and closer J.J. Putz quelled an Angel uprising in the ninth, as the Mariners held on for a 3-2 victory in front of 28,408.

Randy Winn’s pinch-hit, two-run home run off Angel reliever Brendan Donnelly in the seventh provided the winning margin, and the Angels lost an opportunity to gain ground on Oakland in the American League West and Boston in the wild-card race.

Both the A’s and Red Sox lost Tuesday night, leaving the Angels two games behind Oakland and 4 1/2 games behind the Red Sox with 18 games left.

“It’s only one game -- we can still play well and catch that team in Oakland,” Angel designated hitter Troy Glaus said. “We still have six games with the A’s. The bottom line is it’s going to come down to those six games. Obviously, we would like to be as close as possible, so that those games matter.”

The Angels got as close as they possibly could to the Mariners on Tuesday, but Seattle right fielder Ichiro Suzuki snagged pinch-hitter Jeff DaVanon’s line drive with runners on first and second to end the game.

Vladimir Guerrero opened the ninth with a single off Madritsch, and Glaus lined out to center. Guerrero stole second and scored on Garret Anderson’s single, cutting Seattle’s lead to 3-1.

Putz replaced Madritsch and, after Anderson stole second, struck out Jose Guillen for the second out. But Bengie Molina singled to right and Chone Figgins beat out a slow roller to shortstop for an infield single, scoring Anderson to make it 3-2.

DaVanon followed with a hard liner to right, but Suzuki, playing shallow, was in perfect position to make the catch.

“It would have been tough to score on a hit,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said. “On the flip side, if that ball is 25 feet to the left or right, two runs score and we’re ahead by a run.”

Angel left-hander Jarrod Washburn absorbed the loss, despite a solid 6 2/3 -inning, two-run, six-hit effort.

Madritsch limited the Angels to two runs and six hits in 8 1/3 innings, striking out seven and walking two.

“He looks like a good young pitcher,” Washburn said. “He has command of all his pitches, he works ahead in the count, works fast, and he’s a smart pitcher.”

Madritsch spent the 2001 and 2002 seasons pitching for independent league teams in Rio Grande, San Angelo, Chico and Winnipeg before signing with the Mariners as a free agent in September 2002.

“I don’t know what he was doing in the independent leagues,” Guillen said. “They found him. They got lucky. They found a good one.”

Washburn matched Madritsch, zero for zero, for four innings before walking the eighth and ninth hitters, Jose Lopez and Willie Bloomquist, with two outs in the fifth.

Suzuki continued his pursuit of George Sisler’s single-season hit record with a ground-rule double to right-center field, ending Seattle’s 0-for-23 skid with runners in scoring position.

The hit was Ichiro’s 232nd of the season, leaving him 25 shy of Sisler’s mark of 257 hits, set in 1920, and it gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead.

Hiram Bocachica led off the seventh with a double, and Wilson’s bunt moved Bocachica to third. With the infield in, Lopez grounded out to short, Bocachica holding at third.

Scioscia summoned right-hander Donnelly to pitch to Bloomquist, who entered with a .471 career average (eight for 17) against Washburn, and Seattle Manager Bob Melvin countered with Winn, who drove a meaty 1-and-0 fastball over the wall in center for a 3-0 lead.

“I had more in my tank, but in that situation, it was the right move bringing in Donnelly,” Washburn said. “Bloomquist owns me, and nine out of 10 times, Donnelly wins that battle. But he left a pitch up, and Winn made him pay for it.”