OC Register: Angels drop series opener to last-place Mariners

[AngelsWin.com]

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  Angels outfielder Cesar Puello crashes into the outfield wall while trying to catch a three-run home run hit by the Mariners’ Tom Murphy during the sixth inning of Friday’s game at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 07: Cesar Puello #48 of the Los Angeles Angels hits the outfield wall trying to catch a three-run homerun hit by Tom Murphy #2 of the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning of a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 07, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 07: Mike Trout #27 congratulates Kole Calhoun #56 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheimafter his solo homerun during the second inning of a game against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 07, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 07: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim grounds out during the third inning of a game against the Seattle Marinersat Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 07, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 07: Luis Rengifo #4 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim bobbles a single hit by Tim Beckham #1 of the Seattle Mariners during the third inning of a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 07, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 07: Andrew Heaney #28 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim looks on after allowing a three-run homerun to Tom Murphy #2 of the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning of a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 07, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 07: Andrew Heaney #28 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim looks on after allowing a three-run homerun to Tom Murphy #2 of the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning of a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 07, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 07: Domingo Santana #16 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after hitting a solo homerun during the seventh inning of a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 07, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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  ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 07: Luis Garcia #40 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim reacts after Domingo Santana #16 of the Seattle Mariners hit a solo homerun during the seventh inning of a gameat Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 07, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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  Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney throws during the first inning of the team’s baseball game against the Seattle Mariners on Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Marco Gonzales throws during the first inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Kole Calhoun, left, is congratulated by Mike Trout after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of the team’s baseball game against the Seattle Mariners on Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Seattle Mariners’ Domingo Santana flips his bat after striking out during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Seattle Mariners’ Tim Beckham is congratulated after scoring on a single by Mac Williamson during the fourth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Seattle Mariners center fielder Mallex Smith catches a ball hit by Los Angeles Angels’ David Fletcher during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Los Angeles Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun, right, fields a ball hit for an RBI single by Seattle Mariners’ Mac Williamson as Mike Trout backs him up during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Seattle Mariners’ Tom Murphy watches his three-run home run next to Los Angeles Angels catcher Jonathan Lucroy during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Seattle Mariners’ Tom Murphy, right, rounds third after hitting a three-run home run off Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney, foregound, during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Seattle Mariners’ Domingo Santana gestures as he scores after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Seattle Mariners’ Domingo Santana, right, hits a solo home run as Los Angeles Angels catcher Jonathan Lucroy watches during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Seattle Mariners’ Domingo Santana, rear, rounds third after hitting a solo home run off Los Angeles Angels’ Luis Garcia, foreground, during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Seattle Mariners’ Yusei Kikuchi, left, of Japan, is shown how much he milked from a cow during a contest against Los Angeles Angels’ Jared Walsh prior to a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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ANAHEIM — Justin Upton played a rehab game 48 miles from here on Friday. Andrelton Simmons still isn’t allowed to move laterally on a baseball field. The Angels’ injured list had a few more excuses at the ready, but not enough to explain a 6-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

The Mariners practically had a monopoly on excuses. Only two teams began the day with a larger deficit in their division than Seattle, which hadn’t won a road game since May 8. All-Star right fielder Mitch Haniger went on the injured list earlier in the day with a ruptured testicle.

Yet by the ninth inning, the Mariners had the Angels pressed so firmly against the ropes that emergency pitcher Jared Walsh was warming up.

For the second consecutive day, the Angels couldn’t coax enough innings out of their starting pitcher. Andrew Heaney got through five innings with a 2-1 deficit, then waned in the sixth. Daniel Vogelbach led off with a single. Heaney hit Tim Beckham with a two-strike curveball. Kyle Seager struck out, Mac Williamson hit a pop-up for the second out, and Heaney got ahead of light-hitting catcher Tom Murphy 0-and-2.

Then Heaney laid a sinker over the middle of the plate. The pitch hardly sank, and Murphy crushed it 391 feet for a three-run home run.

That gave Seattle a comfortable 5-1 lead that it did not relinquish. Domingo Santana hit a pair of solo home runs – one against Heaney, another against reliever Luis Garcia.

In his third start of the season, Heaney allowed five runs in 5⅔ innings. The left-hander walked two batters and struck out 10. He didn’t allow a hit until the third inning, but by the time of his 21st and final pitch in the sixth he had thrown one pitch too many. Heaney threw a season-high 107 pitches in all.

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Kole Calhoun hit a home run against Marco Gonzales (6-6) in the second inning, giving the Angels a 1-0 lead. Gonzales didn’t allow another hit until the sixth inning. That hit, a single by Albert Pujols, ended Gonzales’ day after 109 pitches.

Gonzales allowed only the two hits and walked three batters in 5⅔ innings. He struck out five.

Mariners right-hander Cory Gearrin relieved Gonzales and faced pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella. The lefty-on-righty matchup worked in the Angels’ favor, as La Stella drove in Mike Trout with a single. That run aroused the final cheer from the announced crowd of 41,495 at Angel Stadium.

Trout, Calhoun, Pujols and La Stella accounted for the Angels’ four hits. Angels right-hander Cody Allen pitched two scoreless innings of relief, his fifth consecutive outing without allowing a run.

The Angels’ second straight loss left them 30-34, 13½ games behind the first-place Astros in the American League West.

More to come on this story.

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