ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Johnson pitched six strong innings, Josh Lowe hit a tiebreaking home run and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Vaughn Grissom had an RBI double and Johnson (5-8) gave up one run on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. He won consecutive starts for the first time in his career.
Julio Rodríguez had an RBI double for the Mariners and Logan Gilbert allowed two runs on six hits over
six innings. Gilbert (12-10) fanned seven in his first outing since becoming the first Seattle pitcher with double-digit strikeouts in consecutive starts since 2018.
The Mariners (70-82) dropped their third straight game, clinching their first losing record in a full season since 2019. They also had a losing mark during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
The Angels finally broke through in a pitchers’ duel in the fifth. Wade Meckler hit a two-out single and scored when Grissom followed with a double to left field.
The Mariners responded immediately. Dominic Canzone led off the sixth against Johnson with a triple to left field and scored on a one-out double to left-center by Rodríguez.
The Angels regained the lead in the bottom half when Lowe hit a one-out homer to right-center against Gilbert, his 12th of the season.
Tayler Saucedo followed Johnson with a scoreless seventh inning and José Fermin did not allow a run in the eighth despite getting hit in the foot with Canzone's comebacker that ended up as a groundout.
Ryan Watson pitched the ninth to earn his third save and second with the Angels.
After coming within one victory of reaching its first World Series last season, Seattle is nearing elimination from playoff contention.
Mariners RHP George Kirby (9-11, 4.25 ERA) will face Angels LHP Yusei Kikuchi (1-5, 4.75) in the finale of the three-game series Wednesday night.
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