Jose Soriano recovered from a shaky opening frame to deliver a six-inning quality start, and the bullpen held firm over the final three frames to help the Los Angeles Angels to a 2-1 win against the visiting Seattle Mariners on Saturday.
Soriano (5-7) allowed one run on five hits, walked four and struck out five. Closer Carlos Estevez tossed a perfect ninth for his 17th save for the Angels, who have won the past two games of the four-game series.
Seattle starter George Kirby (7-7) went at least six innings for a seventh straight game, with two runs (one earned) on three hits, two walks and seven strikeouts.
Los Angeles went ahead 2-1 in the second. Mickey Moniak hit a one-out single to right field and stole second with Keston Hiura at the plate. After Hiura grounded out, Zach Neto walked. Jo Adell, who went 2-for-3, then knocked a sinker into right field, scoring Moniak.
On the play, Neto scored the go-ahead run and Adell advanced to third on a throwing error by Luke Raley.
Seattle had its chances to tie and potentially take the lead but couldn’t take advantage.
In the third, Victor Robles, who was 3-for-4, led off with a single. Then, with two out, Julio Rodriguez was hit by a pitch and Mitch Garver drew a walk to load the bases. But Raley struck out to strand the runners.
It was almost a carbon copy in the fifth. Robles again singled to open the inning and Rodriguez stepped up to the plate with two outs and singled, with Robles advancing to third. Garver then walked and, with the bases loaded, Raley grounded out to end the inning.
The Mariners were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
Seattle took a 1-0 lead in the first. J.P. Crawford worked through an 11-pitch at-bat to draw a leadoff walk and went to second on Cal Raleigh’s ensuing single. Rodriguez followed with a ground ball single up the middle to drive in Crawford.
That’s all the damage the visitors would do in the opening frame, with Garver hitting into a fielder’s choice and Raley grounding into a double play to end the inning.