Three Seattle solo homers are too much for Angels in 3-2 loss
Mariners teammates Logan Morrison and Nelson Cruz celebrate Cruz’s major-league leading 14th home run with a forearm bump. Morrison also homered in Seattle’s 3-2 win.
Seattle 3, Angels 2
KEY MOMENT: Matt Shoemaker was staring down Seattle ace Felix Hernandez through six innings, with the game in a scoreless tie. However, in a span of four pitches in the seventh inning, Shoemaker gave up home runs to Nelson Cruz and Logan Morrison, putting the Mariners ahead to stay.
AT THE PLATE: Matt Joyce and David Freese hit home runs for the Angels, for Joyce his first since they acquired him in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays last December. Erick Aybar and Albert Pujols each had two hits for the Angels. Cruz hit one of Seattle’s three home runs, making him one of five players in major league history to hit 14 home runs in his team’s first 26 games. Pujols is one of the other four; he did it for the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals.
ON THE MOUND: Shoemaker gave up four hits, but three went for home runs. He has given up seven home runs in 28 1/3 innings this season after giving up 14 in 136 innings last season. Shoemaker also tied a career high with 10 strikeouts.
FEWER FANS: The Angels announced they had sold 25,024 tickets Monday, the second time in their past five home games they had sold fewer than 27,000 tickets. Before this season, the Angels had not sold fewer than 27,000 tickets to any game since 2003.
TIP OF THE CAP: Manager Mike Scioscia said he had exchanged text messages with Ron Roenicke, fired Sunday night as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers. Roenicke coached under Scioscia for 11 years before the Brewers hired him. “There aren’t many guys with the integrity Ron has, matched with an unbelievable baseball mind, and [he is] a great communicator. I thought he did a great job with Milwaukee. He’ll get another shot.”
NORTH BEACH BLUES: Scioscia on the Angels’ highlights during a weekend in which they were swept in San Francisco: “A couple of nice restaurants.” The two Los Angeles teams are 0-6 in San Francisco this season.
UP NEXT: Garrett Richards (2-1, 3.00) faces the Mariners’ James Paxton (0-2, 5.74) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Angel Stadium. TV: FS West; Radio: 830, 1330.
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