Angels let down by bullpen in 3-1 loss to Mariners

Reporting from Seattle

When the Angels traded closer Brian Fuentes to the Minnesota Twins on Friday, Manager Mike Scioscia said he would use a “pyramid� of relievers Kevin Jepsen, Francisco Rodriguez and Jordan Walden in front of setup-man-turned-closer Fernando Rodney.

A pyramid to success, it wasn’t Tuesday night.

The Seattle Mariners scored three runs in the eighth inning off Jepsen and Rodriguez for a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over the Angels in Safeco Field.

Jepsen walked two and gave up two singles and was charged with three runs, the last of which scored on Josh Wilson’s single off Rodriguez.

“I felt good tonight — I just didn’t put guys away when I had chances,� Jepsen said. “You walk guys, you’re going to give up runs. You let guys hang in counts, stuff happens.�

The game was scoreless through seven, Angels right-hander Dan Haren matching Seattle ace Felix Hernandez, one of baseball’s most dominant starters over the past three weeks, zero for zero.

Haren gave up seven hits, struck out eight and walked two in seven innings, and Hernandez gave up three hits, struck out eight and walked three in seven innings.

Hernandez, who has yielded one earned run in 37 innings of his last five starts, was so impressive that Angels cleanup batter Torii Hunter, after looking at a breaking ball for a called third strike in the fourth, tipped his cap to Hernandez on his way to the dugout.

“He’s one of the best,� Haren said of Hernandez. “He’s got everything — a 95-mph sinking fastball, a good slider, curve and changeup. I knew it would be tight tonight, but it was fun.�

The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the eighth off reliever Brandon League on back-to-back doubles by Alberto Callaspo and Howie Kendrick. Bobby Abreu was walked intentionally, and Hunter grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Jepsen started the eighth and walked Russell Branyan with one out. Jose Lopez singled to right-center, sending pinch-runner Matt Tuiasosopo to third, and Casey Kotchman walked to load the bases.

Michael Saunders hit a sacrifice fly to right to tie the score, 1-1, and Adam Moore hit a broken-bat single just out of the reach of Kendrick at second, scoring Lopez for a 2-1 lead. Rodriguez replaced Jepsen and gave up an RBI single to Josh Wilson.

RBI drought

Hunter has hit .275 (19 for 69) in his last 18 games, a decent enough average, since serving a four-game suspension for arguing with an umpire in early August, but the right fielder has not driven in any runs in those games.

Hunter’s last RBI came on Aug. 6, when he hit a home run off Detroit ace Justin Verlander, and he has been stuck on 70 RBIs since, losing the team RBI lead to Hideki Matsui.

Hunter is batting .281 with runners in scoring position on the season but has one hit — an infield single against Boston on Aug. 19 — in 18 at-bats with runners in scoring position since Aug. 11.

His struggles have coincided with a team-wide inability to hit in the clutch. The Angels have hit .176 with runners in scoring position (29 for 165) in the last 21 games.

“At times, his swing has gotten a little big with runners in scoring position, and he’s tried to do too much,� Scioscia said. “He’s pressed a bit.

“He’s one of those guys who tends to grip the bat a little tighter. He has that little football mentality and fights that from time to time.

“It’s a double-edge sword. It’s what keeps him going, keeps him grinding, and at times it’s caused him to get out of his game.�

Short hops

Brandon Wood will play his Arizona Fall League ball for the Mesa Solar Sox, whose season runs from Oct. 12 to Nov. 20. The infielder will be joined on the team by five Angels prospects, pitchers Ryan Brasier, Robert Fish, Stephen Geltz and Eddie McKiernan and infielder Andrew Romine. … Center fielder Peter Bourjos was named Pacific Coast League rookie of the year after hitting .314 with 13 homers and 52 RBIs in 102 games for triple-A Salt Lake.

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