Angels’ Dan Haren can’t hold back Mariners in 7-4 loss

Dan Haren’s durability was supposed to pace a playoff run and springboard the Angels pitcher to a lucrative payoff in his contract year.

Instead, Haren, who made more starts than any pitcher between 2005 and 2011, was sidelined because of back pain in July, and Saturday he reverted to the uncharacteristic ineffective outings that plagued him before going on the disabled list.

Haren (8-9) didn’t make it through four innings, his shortest start since 2003, and the Angels were defeated by the Seattle Mariners, 7-4.

“I have to hold up my end of the deal, and for most of this year, I haven’t,” said Haren, declaring himself free of any back discomfort. “I didn’t see it coming.”

The right-hander labored through 32 pitches in the second inning, when the Mariners took a 3-0 lead with a hit batter, a walk and three singles, including a two-run hit by Dustin Ackley on a pitch Haren left over the plate with two outs.

Haren’s command and pitching plan betrayed him and the frustration grew an inning later when cleanup hitter John Jaso hit a home run to right field for a 4-0 lead.

That marked the career-high ninth consecutive game in which Haren has surrendered a home run, souring the promise of three consecutive starts in which he had given up two runs or less. His earned-run average inflated to 4.68, more than a run over his career 3.59 ERA.

Manager Mike Scioscia lamented the team’s seventh loss in 10 games that leaves them 11/2 games behind Oakland for the final American League wild-card spot.

“We’ve been peeling paint trying to get the guys on track and moving forward,” Scioscia said. “Dan was making progress.”

In the fourth inning, the Angels committed two of their three errors. Haren also threw a wild pitch and walked his third batter in the inning.

“A sloppy game for everyone, myself included,” Haren said.

The fourth inning ended with the Angels trailing, 7-0.

Seattle’s run support complemented a strong outing by right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma (3-3), an 11-season veteran of the Japanese league who made his first start for the Mariners on July 2.

Iwakuma kept the Angels scoreless until the fifth inning, when Vernon Wells singled in a run.

Wells hit a two-run home run to chase Iwakuma in the eighth inning and cap a three-for-three game.

Kendrys Morales hit his 15th home run, in the ninth inning.

Before the Wells blast, the Angel Stadium crowd was lifted from the lull of a lopsided outcome on a sweltering evening in the eighth inning when center fielder Mike Trout leaped high to rob Miguel Olivo of a home run at the 400-foot mark. Trout threw to first baseman Albert Pujols to double up Eric Thames.

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