Recap: Seattle vs. LA Angels
Sports Network | September 26, 2008
Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Vladimir Guerrero broke a tie game with a two- run home run in the ninth -- his second home run of the game -- as the Los Angeles Angels downed Seattle, 6-4, at Safeco Field.
Jose Arredondo (10-2) got the victory despite giving up one run in his 1 2/3 frames of work. Guerrero posted his third multi-homer game of the season and the 36th of his career. Mark Teixeira singled in front of him in the ninth off J.J. Putz (6-5), who took the loss after pitching the ninth.
Torii Hunter finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI for the Angels, who tied a club record for being 39 games over .500, which was set twice during the 2002 season. That 2002 club also won 99 games, the same number this team has with three games to play.
Scot Shields picked up his fourth save with a clean ninth for the Angels, who have a magic number of 1 to clinch homefield advantage until the World Series.
Ichiro Suzuki had two hits, including the 1,800th of his career, and scored twice. Suzuki became the fastest player since 1954 to reach the 1,800-hit plateau. Wade Boggs is the second fastest, accomplishing the feat in 1,352 games to just 1,276 for Suzuki.
Seattle took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Suzuki singled and Yuniesky Betancourt walked before Raul Ibanez knocked a run- scoring single back through the middle. Wladimir Balentien's double plated Betancourt for the 2-0 edge.
Mike Napoli plated Guerrero, who was one of three Angels to walk in the frame, with a sacrifice fly to center in the second.
Guerrero's solo shot in the sixth tied the game at 2-2 before Hunter singled and stole second. The outfielder plated the go-ahead run on Gary Matthews, Jr.'s fielder's choice groundout.
Hunter's RBI single scored Teixeira for a 4-2 lead in the top of the seventh before Betancourt tied the game in the home half with a two-run home run that plated Suzuki, who had singled earlier in the frame.
Teixeira and Guerrero were then at the forefront of the damage in the top of the ninth.
Arredondo's ERA sits at just 1.65 this season...Neither starter factored in the decision. Seattle's Cesar Jimenez gave up one run on two hits with three walks in 3 2/3 frames, while Dustin Moseley surrendered two runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts over five frames for the Angels.
