Angels tripped up in Seattle

SEATTLE -- It wasn’t a statement-making victory, a win that will spark a new world order in the American League West, but after being thumped so thoroughly by the Angels last season, the Seattle Mariners will take it.

After nearly losing a two-run lead by committing two errors in the top of the eighth inning, the Mariners scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to pull away for an 8-5 victory over the Angels on Friday night in Safeco Field.

Kenji Johjima hit a run-scoring double off Angels reliever Darren Oliver and Yuniesky Betancourt greeted Jason Bulger with an RBI triple over the head of center fielder Torii Hunter, who jammed his left wrist and a toe crashing into the wall but remained in the game.

Mark Lowe, subbing for injured closer J.J. Putz, gave up a leadoff double to Vladimir Guerrero in the ninth but retired Garret Anderson, Hunter and Robb Quinlan for his first career save. Raul Ibanez hit two solo home runs and an RBI double for Seattle.

“We needed this win,” Manager John McLaren said of his Mariners, who were coming off a 2-5 trip to Baltimore and Tampa Bay. “No one has to tell us who the Angels are and what they’ve done. They’re the team to beat.”

Since the Angels went 13-6 against the Mariners in 2007 and outscored them, 24-8, to sweep a three-game series in Seattle in late August, the Mariners have seemed fixated on the Angels.

McLaren even went so far as to bring most of his regulars to a road exhibition game against the Angels in Tempe, Ariz., in the first week of March, hoping to set a tone for the season.

“If you feel like you’ve got to make a statement in spring training. . . .” Angels pitcher John Lackey said before Friday night’s game. “It’s too early to get too crazy about a series like this. Let’s get about 50 games into the season and see where everyone is at.”

Seven innings into their first meeting of the season, the Mariners were ahead, 6-4. Then, after Hunter singled to lead off the eighth, Seattle broke out the gift wrap. Reliever Sean Green’s throwing error on Casey Kotchman’s potential double-play grounder and first baseman Richie Sexson’s fielding error on Maicer Izturis’ grounder enabled Hunter to score and the Angels to put two on with no outs.

Jeff Mathis, who hit a solo home run off Felix Hernandez in the third, bunted the runners up, but pinch-runner Reggie Willits was thrown out at home trying to score on Erick Aybar’s grounder to third baseman Adrian Beltre.

Chone Figgins walked to load the bases, but Gary Matthews Jr., who hit a solo homer off Hernandez in the sixth, flied to left, and the Mariners held on, snagging at least a little momentum from their division nemesis.

“Maybe if you beat them a few times,” Sexson said, “they start thinking, ‘Hey, it’s going to be tougher than we thought.’ ”

Angels starter Jered Weaver gave up two hits through five innings but had a tough time with Ibanez, who homered in the first and fourth innings and is batting .571 (12 for 21) with four homers against the right-hander.

Asked if he figured out a way to get Ibanez out, Weaver snapped, “Obviously not . . . next question.”

So, what happened in that sixth inning? The Angels scored twice in the top half for a 3-2 lead, but Seattle second baseman Jose Lopez doubled with one out in the bottom of the sixth, and Ibanez was intentionally walked. Beltre flied to center, but Jose Vidro walked to load the bases.

Up stepped Sexson, hitless with five strikeouts in 11 career at-bats against Weaver. Weaver walked him on a full-count pitch, forcing the tying run. Brad Wilkerson followed with a two-run single for a 5-3 lead.

“I got away from my game,” Weaver said. “They got some runners on, and I tried to be too fine. That’s it.”

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com