Angels run winning streak to four games by pounding Mariners, 7-1

When the Angels were struggling through a particularly punchless period last month, Albert Pujols warned the rest of the American League that the team wouldn’t stay dormant for long. And when it awoke, he promised, it would be with a vengeance.

Vengeance, say hello to the Seattle Mariners.

In less than 24 hours, Pujols and the Angels took out a season’s worth of frustration out on the hapless Mariners, finishing a two-game series sweep with a 7-1 victory Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium.

BOX SCORE: Angels 12, Seattle 0

The win was the fourth in a row for the Angels, a season best, and it came on the heels of a 12-0 win over Seattle on Tuesday night. Add two weekend wins over the Chicago White Sox and the Angels have outscored opponents, 37-12, during the winning streak.

The Angels wasted no time in getting started Wednesday, offering a rude homecoming to Seattle starter Brandon Maurer, who played at nearby Orange Lutheran High.

The first five hitters Maurer faced reached base safely, with the Angels collecting five runs and six hits in the first inning.

Josh Hamilton, who is hitting .333 over his last nine games, had the big blow, delivering a bases-loaded single to drive in two runs. Alberto Callaspo followed two batters later with a two-run double before scoring on a single by Hank Conger.

A one-out triple by Mike Trout got the Angels started in the second inning and though they loaded the bases again, they got only one run in the inning, on a Pujols single, before Howie Kendrick grounded into an inning-ending double play.

By the time Erick Aybar made it 7-0 with a two-out run-scoring single in the third inning, every Angels hitter except J.B. Shuck had scored a run against Maurer or driven in one.

When the Angels batted in the fourth, the 22-year-old right-hander was gone, having faced 20 batters, giving up seven runs and 11 hits, walking two and throwing two wild pitches.

Charlie Furbush quickly restored order, retiring all nine batters he faced over the next three innings, but by then the Angels were in control. And that made it a relatively easy afternoon for starter C.J. Wilson, who deserved the support since the Angels didn’t score in his last two starts.

And with all that help Wilson (4-3) ended a losing streak at three starts by holding the Mariners to a run and six hits over eight innings, striking out 10 and walking two.

Mark Trumbo finished with three hits for the Angels, who got two hits each from Trout, Pujols and Callaspo. Trout and Callaspo scored twice, and Callaspo and Hamilton each drove in two runs.

For Hamilton, the two hits raised his average to .225, his best in nearly a month. Pujols is batting .258, his highest average in May.

ALSO:

Brewers’ Kyle Lohse to miss a start

Mike Trout hits for the cycle in Angels’ 12-0 win over Seattle

Dodgers plan for Don Mattingly to still be their manager Friday