Brandon Drury drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the eighth inning as the Los Angeles Angels finished a sweep of the struggling Seattle Mariners with a 2-1 win on Wednesday.
The Mariners faced criticism from fans after losing for the eighth time in nine games and the 20th time in 29 games, dropping their overall record to 53-51. Despite their recent struggles, Seattle remains just one game behind first-place Houston (53-49) in the AL West standings.
Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo kept the Angels scoreless through six innings before they managed to score against the Seattle bullpen. Nolan Schanuel started the eighth with a single against reliever Gregory Santos and later scored on a single by Willie Calhoun, tying the game at 1-1.
Santos (0-1) left the game after allowing one run on two singles in the eighth inning, due to right knee pain. He was replaced by Trent Thornton, who then allowed Drury’s RBI single that brought home pinch-runner Kevin Pillar from second base.
Drury, who entered the game batting .164 with one home run and seven RBI in 50 games, expressed relief and satisfaction with his game-winning hit. He acknowledged his tough season so far but hoped to build on this performance for the remaining months of the season.
Castillo had a strong outing for Seattle, giving up five hits and two walks while striking out seven batters over six innings.
Angels manager Ron Washington praised Griffin Canning’s performance, noting his resilience and effectiveness compared to previous games where he struggled to escape tough situations. Canning allowed one earned run on four hits over five innings for the Angels.
