The Mariners (34-33) were deadlocked with the Angels (32-36) in a 2-2 tie for six innings at Safeco Field on Monday night. It was not until the seventh inning when the Angels rallied for three runs and took the lead and eventually the game, 6-3.
Both teams got on the board in the first inning. In the top of the first, Angels center fielder Torii Hunter scored off of a Howie Kenderick base hit into left field. The Mariners responded in the bottom of the first after Adam Kennedy hit a line drive double to center field that scored Ichiro from second base. After a Franklin Gutierrez ground ball that scored Carlos Peguero from third, the Mariners took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Entering Monday's game, Angels left fielder Vernon Wells was only batting .189 and had only managed two hits in the past seven games. The struggling veteran turned things around in the bottom of the third inning when he hit a two-out solo home run to left field that tied the game 2-2.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Brendan Ryan scored Chone Figgins on a sacrifice fly to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead. Despite holding the Angels to two runs for six innings, Mariners starter Jason Vargas was unable to secure the victory.
In the top of the seventh inning Chone Figgins cleanly fielded a Hunter groundball and chose to throw the ball to home plate to prevent the tying run from scoring. While Angels catcher Jeff Mathis appeared to be out at the plate, his slide ended up knocking the ball out of Olivo's glove, and the Angels tied the game at 3-3. Later in the inning, Wells hit his second home run of the game and gave the Angels a 5-3 lead.
The Mariners offense was unable to put together a late-inning rally. The Angels bullpen shut the Mariners out in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.
For more news and information regarding the Mariners and tonight's game head on over to SB Nation's Mariners blog, Lookout Landing.