Romero’s Tough Luck Is Unearned

J.C. Romero hasn’t given up an earned run in two consecutive appearances since enduring a rocky stretch in which he gave up seven earned runs in three outings. But the former statistic belies the misfortune heaped upon the Angels reliever in the seventh inning Sunday.

The Seattle Mariners scored their final two runs in a 9-4 victory at Angel Stadium when third baseman Chone Figgins’ errant throw to second trying to get Jose Lopez skipped into center field, allowing Lopez to come home after he had singled through the right side of the infield.

After Ichiro Suzuki drew a leadoff walk and reached third on Lopez’s single despite a strong throw by right fielder Vladimir Guerrero, Figgins tried to throw out Lopez going to second on the play. Instead, his throw allowed two runs to score.

“That’s the way the game goes,” said Romero, who had thrown 1 1/3 scoreless innings Saturday. “When things aren’t going your way, they don’t go your way.”

Romero finished strong Sunday, retiring the final three batters he faced.

“The main thing is that I feel good,” he said. “I feel like my pitches are getting to where they need to be, and I’m going to keep the same approach. I’m going to stay aggressive when they give me the ball and try to [pitch] to the best of my abilities. That’s why they brought me over here.”

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Even more encouraging than the offensive numbers Jeff Mathis has produced since his demotion to triple-A Salt Lake -- a .317 batting average and 10-game hitting streak -- are reports that the rookie catcher has regained his form behind the plate.

“He’s doing things that he did last year [and] that we saw in the spring,” Manager Mike Scioscia said of Mathis, who hit .103 and had a catcher’s earned-run average of 5.91 with the Angels.

Though he didn’t rule out having three catchers on the roster at some point this season, Scioscia said the Angels wouldn’t recall Mathis unless there was a role for him.

“The first thing is to get his game together,” Scioscia said. “Until he can relax and play and can start to move in that direction, to consider him up here wouldn’t make a lot of sense. But as he moves in that direction and plays well, he’ll get a role up here because he’s a heck of a player.”

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Designated hitter Garret Anderson left the game because of a strained left hamstring after three plate appearances and will be reevaluated before the Angels open a three-game series with Toronto on Tuesday.... The Angels optioned infielder Howie Kendrick to Salt Lake after the game and plan to recall infielder Erick Aybar from the triple-A club Tuesday. Scioscia said the move would provide depth at shortstop with Maicer Izturis on the disabled list and allow Kendrick, who was batting .115 with one RBI in 26 at-bats, to play every day in the minors.... Bartolo Colon completed a second bullpen workout in his recovery from an inflamed shoulder and will throw in the bullpen again or pitch a simulated game before beginning a minor league rehabilitation assignment.... Chris Bootcheck, recovering from a strained left hamstring, will make a rehabilitation start tonight for Salt Lake.