Mariners knock around Angels’ Garrett Richards in 7-2 win

KEY MOMENT: Mariners ace Felix Hernandez wobbled in the seventh inning when the Angels loaded the bases with one out on Erick Aybar’s bunt single and walks to Matt Joyce and C.J. Cron. But Hernandez recovered to strike out Carlos Perez and get pinch-hitter Efren Navarro to ground to third to preserve a 4-0 lead.

AT THE PLATE: Logan Morrison led off the first with a homer to right-center field off Angels starter Garrett Richards. Dustin Ackley singled in the second, took third on Mark Trumbo’s double and scored on Mike Zunino’s single for a 2-0 lead. Seattle loaded the bases in the fourth on singles by Seth Smith and Ackley and Trumbo’s walk, and Brad Miller and Zunino hit sacrifice flies for a 4-0 lead. Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and Smith had RBI singles in the eighth. Kole Calhoun homered off Fernando Rodney in the eighth but grounded out to first with the bases loaded to end the game.

ON THE MOUND: Richards was 4-1 with a 2.04 earned-run average in his previous five starts and 3-0 with an 0.97 ERA in his last five starts against Seattle, but he was in constant trouble Thursday, giving up four runs and 12 hits in 51/3 innings. Four Angels pitchers combined to give up a season-high 19 hits.

IN THE FIELD: Richards gave up two runs and six hits in the first two innings, but the damage could have been worse if not for strong throws by Calhoun from right field and Joyce from left to cut down runners at the plate. Calhoun’s one-hop throw nailed Cano, who tried to score on Kyle Seager’s first-inning single, and Joyce’s throw on the fly nailed Trumbo, who tried to score on Zunino’s second-inning single.

EXTRA BASES: Joyce singled with one out in the second and tried to take third on Cron’s bloop single to left that pulled Seager, the Mariners third baseman, to the outfield grass. But Seager scrambled back to the bag in time to field Smith’s throw and tag Joyce, who was initially called safe but ruled out after a replay review. ... The Angels optioned outfielder/first baseman Efren Navarro to triple A after game.

UP NEXT: Left-hander Hector Santiago (5-4, 2.40 ERA) will oppose Seattle left-hander Mike Montgomery (4-2, 1.62 ERA) at Safeco Field on Friday at 7 p.m. TV: FS West; Radio: 830, 1330.