Johnny Giavotella has quickly found a home with the Los Angeles Angels -- and shown a flair for the dramatic on more than one occasion.
Giavotella hit an RBI double in the ninth inning and Mike Trout homered, leading the Angels to a 4-3 victory over Seattle on Wednesday night and their second walk-off win in a row over the Mariners.
"I feel very comfortable here. These guys are very easy to play with," said Giavotella, who took over at second base after Howie Kendrick was traded to the Dodgers. "These guys are very talented, but at the same time they're very down to earth and they bring out the best in you. It's fun to be a part of, and it's fun to come to the locker room every day with them."
One night after Carlos Perez punctuated his major league debut with a home run in the bottom of the ninth against Dominic Leone, Giavotella got his first career game-ending hit. It scored Erick Aybar, who bunted into a force play after David Freese drew a leadoff walk from Carson Smith (0-2).
"It's very exciting for us to get two big wins against a Seattle team that's as good as they are," Giavotella said. "It was big for us, especially since we got off to such a slow start to the season. Hopefully we can keep it rolling."
Huston Street (2-0) was credited with the win after his first blown save in 10 opportunities this season. He gave up a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Dustin Ackley in the top of the ninth after Kyle Seager opened the inning with a double and Mike Zunino hit a bloop single.
"For me, if we win, I can go home and sleep easy," Street said. "I really only made one bad pitch in the inning, the pitch to Seager. The other one was a bloop single, and I made every other pitch that I wanted to."
Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson pitched seven innings, allowing two runs and seven hits while striking out four and walking none. It was the fifth time in his first six starts he held an opponent to fewer than three runs.
Wilson, who beat the Mariners 2-0 in his season debut April 7 at Seattle with eight innings of two-hit ball, handed a 3-2 lead to the bullpen before the Mariners rallied again in the late innings to tie the score.
"It is frustrating that we couldn't come away with a victory," outfielder Justin Ruggiano said. "But you can't really sulk about it. It's a long season, and it's sure to turn around pretty soon. I mean, we haven't been clicking on all cylinders by any means."
Seattle lefty Roenis Elias gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings in his third start since joining the rotation following Hisashi Iwakuma's injured right shoulder.
The Angels took a 3-0 lead in the third with three consecutive one-out hits -- a triple by No. 9 hitter Collin Cowgill, a double by Kole Calhoun and Trout's seventh homer, which cleared the trees in center field by plenty and was estimated at 441 feet.
Seager, who was 3 for 37 against Wilson coming into his second at-bat of the night, got two runs back in the fourth with his third homer after a one-out single by Robinson Cano. Until then, Wilson had allowed one home run in his first 36 1/3 innings this season.
"It's one of those things where you beat the guy over and over and over again, then he finally just says: `You know what? Forget it. I'm just going to step in the bucket and swing at the first pitch," Wilson said.
Freese made two nice plays at third base in the seventh. He charged in to cut off Logan Morrison's leadoff grounder toward shortstop before throwing him out, then made a diving catch of a line drive toward the hole by Ruggiano.
One batter later, Trout made a sensational diving grab in right-center against Chris Taylor that had Giavotella jumping up and down.
"We were playing to the opposite field against him," Trout said. "Off the bat it was tailing away, and it was tough. I thought if it fell, it was going to be a double no matter what. But I laid down and caught it."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mariners: RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, sidelined since April 11 because of a hyperextended elbow, threw 25 pitches in a simulated game.
UP NEXT
Mariners: RHP Taijuan Walker (1-3) opposes Oakland RHP Sonny Gray on Friday night in the opener of a nine-game homestand. Walker allowed nine runs and nine hits over 3 1/3 innings against the Athletics in his season debut April 12, a 12-0 loss.
Angels: LHP Hector Santiago (2-2) faces Houston RHP Collin McHugh on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series at the "Big A," with the surprising Astros holding a five-game lead over the Angels atop the AL West.
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Giavotella hit an RBI double in the ninth inning and Mike Trout homered, leading the Angels to a 4-3 victory over Seattle on Wednesday night and their second walk-off win in a row over the Mariners.
"I feel very comfortable here. These guys are very easy to play with," said Giavotella, who took over at second base after Howie Kendrick was traded to the Dodgers. "These guys are very talented, but at the same time they're very down to earth and they bring out the best in you. It's fun to be a part of, and it's fun to come to the locker room every day with them."
One night after Carlos Perez punctuated his major league debut with a home run in the bottom of the ninth against Dominic Leone, Giavotella got his first career game-ending hit. It scored Erick Aybar, who bunted into a force play after David Freese drew a leadoff walk from Carson Smith (0-2).
"It's very exciting for us to get two big wins against a Seattle team that's as good as they are," Giavotella said. "It was big for us, especially since we got off to such a slow start to the season. Hopefully we can keep it rolling."
Huston Street (2-0) was credited with the win after his first blown save in 10 opportunities this season. He gave up a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Dustin Ackley in the top of the ninth after Kyle Seager opened the inning with a double and Mike Zunino hit a bloop single.
"For me, if we win, I can go home and sleep easy," Street said. "I really only made one bad pitch in the inning, the pitch to Seager. The other one was a bloop single, and I made every other pitch that I wanted to."
Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson pitched seven innings, allowing two runs and seven hits while striking out four and walking none. It was the fifth time in his first six starts he held an opponent to fewer than three runs.
Wilson, who beat the Mariners 2-0 in his season debut April 7 at Seattle with eight innings of two-hit ball, handed a 3-2 lead to the bullpen before the Mariners rallied again in the late innings to tie the score.
"It is frustrating that we couldn't come away with a victory," outfielder Justin Ruggiano said. "But you can't really sulk about it. It's a long season, and it's sure to turn around pretty soon. I mean, we haven't been clicking on all cylinders by any means."
Seattle lefty Roenis Elias gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings in his third start since joining the rotation following Hisashi Iwakuma's injured right shoulder.
The Angels took a 3-0 lead in the third with three consecutive one-out hits -- a triple by No. 9 hitter Collin Cowgill, a double by Kole Calhoun and Trout's seventh homer, which cleared the trees in center field by plenty and was estimated at 441 feet.
Seager, who was 3 for 37 against Wilson coming into his second at-bat of the night, got two runs back in the fourth with his third homer after a one-out single by Robinson Cano. Until then, Wilson had allowed one home run in his first 36 1/3 innings this season.
"It's one of those things where you beat the guy over and over and over again, then he finally just says: `You know what? Forget it. I'm just going to step in the bucket and swing at the first pitch," Wilson said.
Freese made two nice plays at third base in the seventh. He charged in to cut off Logan Morrison's leadoff grounder toward shortstop before throwing him out, then made a diving catch of a line drive toward the hole by Ruggiano.
One batter later, Trout made a sensational diving grab in right-center against Chris Taylor that had Giavotella jumping up and down.
"We were playing to the opposite field against him," Trout said. "Off the bat it was tailing away, and it was tough. I thought if it fell, it was going to be a double no matter what. But I laid down and caught it."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mariners: RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, sidelined since April 11 because of a hyperextended elbow, threw 25 pitches in a simulated game.
UP NEXT
Mariners: RHP Taijuan Walker (1-3) opposes Oakland RHP Sonny Gray on Friday night in the opener of a nine-game homestand. Walker allowed nine runs and nine hits over 3 1/3 innings against the Athletics in his season debut April 12, a 12-0 loss.
Angels: LHP Hector Santiago (2-2) faces Houston RHP Collin McHugh on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series at the "Big A," with the surprising Astros holding a five-game lead over the Angels atop the AL West.
View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
Seattle - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
---|---|---|
C.J. Wilson pitching for Los Angeles | SEA | LAA |
Weeks flied out to right. | 0 | 0 |
Bloomquist struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
Canó singled to center. | 0 | 0 |
Cruz grounded into fielder's choice to third, Canó out at second. | 0 | 0 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Los Angeles - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
Roenis Elias pitching for Seattle | SEA | LAA |
Calhoun lined out to third. | 0 | 0 |
Trout flied out to right. | 0 | 0 |
Pujols grounded out to second. | 0 | 0 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Seattle - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
C.J. Wilson pitching for Los Angeles | SEA | LAA |
Seager popped out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
Zunino grounded out to third. | 0 | 0 |
Morrison struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Los Angeles - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
Roenis Elias pitching for Seattle | SEA | LAA |
Freese grounded out to third. | 0 | 0 |
Aybar reached on infield single to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
Giavotella bunted into fielder's choice to first, Aybar out at second. | 0 | 0 |
Cron popped out to second. | 0 | 0 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Seattle - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
C.J. Wilson pitching for Los Angeles | SEA | LAA |
Ruggiano grounded out to third. | 0 | 0 |
Taylor singled to shallow right. | 0 | 0 |
Weeks popped out to second. | 0 | 0 |
Taylor stole second. | 0 | 0 |
Bloomquist grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Los Angeles - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
Roenis Elias pitching for Seattle | SEA | LAA |
Pérez struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
Cowgill tripled to deep center. | 0 | 0 |
Calhoun doubled to center, Cowgill scored. | 0 | 1 |
Trout homered to center (443 feet), Calhoun scored. | 0 | 3 |
Pujols grounded out to second. | 0 | 3 |
Freese walked. | 0 | 3 |
Aybar grounded into fielder's choice to second, Freese out at second. | 0 | 3 |
3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Seattle - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
C.J. Wilson pitching for Los Angeles | SEA | LAA |
Canó grounded out to first. | 0 | 3 |
Cruz singled to center. | 0 | 3 |
Seager homered to right (369 feet), Cruz scored. | 2 | 3 |
Zunino singled to left. | 2 | 3 |
Morrison grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Zunino out at second. | 2 | 3 |
2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Los Angeles - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
Roenis Elias pitching for Seattle | SEA | LAA |
Giavotella struck out swinging. | 2 | 3 |
Cron flied out to right. | 2 | 3 |
Pérez struck out swinging. | 2 | 3 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Seattle - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
C.J. Wilson pitching for Los Angeles | SEA | LAA |
Ruggiano struck out looking. | 2 | 3 |
Taylor grounded out to first. | 2 | 3 |
Weeks reached on infield single to third. | 2 | 3 |
Bloomquist safe at first on error by third baseman Freese, Weeks to second. | 2 | 3 |
Canó struck out swinging. | 2 | 3 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
Los Angeles - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
Roenis Elias pitching for Seattle | SEA | LAA |
Cowgill struck out swinging. | 2 | 3 |
Calhoun struck out swinging. | 2 | 3 |
Trout grounded out to shortstop. | 2 | 3 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Seattle - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
C.J. Wilson pitching for Los Angeles | SEA | LAA |
Cruz singled to right. | 2 | 3 |
Seager grounded into fielder's choice to first, Cruz out at second. | 2 | 3 |
Seager caught stealing second, catcher to second. | 2 | 3 |
Zunino popped out to shortstop. | 2 | 3 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Los Angeles - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
Roenis Elias pitching for Seattle | SEA | LAA |
Pujols singled to right. | 2 | 3 |
Freese grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Pujols out at second. | 2 | 3 |
Aybar singled to right center. | 2 | 3 |
Giavotella lined out to center. | 2 | 3 |
0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Seattle - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
C.J. Wilson pitching for Los Angeles | SEA | LAA |
Morrison grounded out to third. | 2 | 3 |
Ruggiano lined out to third. | 2 | 3 |
Taylor lined out to center. | 2 | 3 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Los Angeles - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
Roenis Elias pitching for Seattle | SEA | LAA |
Cron grounded out to pitcher. | 2 | 3 |
Pérez grounded out to second. | 2 | 3 |
Cowgill grounded out to third. | 2 | 3 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Seattle - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
Joe Smith pitching for Los Angeles | SEA | LAA |
Navarro at first base. | 2 | 3 |
Smith relieved Wilson. | 2 | 3 |
Miller hit for Weeks. | 2 | 3 |
Miller lined out to left. | 2 | 3 |
S. Smith hit for Bloomquist. | 2 | 3 |
S. Smith struck out looking. | 2 | 3 |
Canó hit by pitch. | 2 | 3 |
Cruz grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Canó out at second. | 2 | 3 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Los Angeles - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
Joe Beimel pitching for Seattle | SEA | LAA |
S. Smith in left field. | 2 | 3 |
Beimel relieved Elías. | 2 | 3 |
Calhoun grounded out to second. | 2 | 3 |
Lowe relieved Beimel. | 2 | 3 |
Trout flied out to center. | 2 | 3 |
Pujols grounded out to second. | 2 | 3 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Seattle - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
Huston Street pitching for Los Angeles | SEA | LAA |
Street relieved Smith. | 2 | 3 |
Seager doubled to left center. | 2 | 3 |
Zunino singled to right, Seager to third. | 2 | 3 |
Morrison flied out to left. | 2 | 3 |
Ackley hit for Ruggiano. | 2 | 3 |
Ackley hit sacrifice fly to left, Seager scored. | 3 | 3 |
Taylor walked, Zunino to second. | 3 | 3 |
Miller struck out swinging. | 3 | 3 |
1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Los Angeles - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
Carson Smith pitching for Seattle | SEA | LAA |
Ackley in center field. | 3 | 3 |
C. Smith relieved Lowe. | 3 | 3 |
Freese walked. | 3 | 3 |
Featherston ran for Freese. | 3 | 3 |
Aybar bunted into fielder's choice to third, Featherston out at second. | 3 | 3 |
Giavotella doubled to right, Aybar scored. | 3 | 4 |
1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors |
Seattle Mariners | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
Weeks DH | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .208 | .309 | .354 |
a-Miller PH-DH
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .244 | .294 | .372 |
Bloomquist LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | .208 | .240 | .208 |
b-S. Smith PH-LF
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | .250 | .303 | .471 |
Canó 2B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | .263 | .306 | .377 |
Cruz RF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | .333 | .373 | .757 |
Seager 3B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .255 | .300 | .402 |
Zunino C | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | .177 | .258 | .329 |
Morrison 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | .237 | .288 | .412 |
Ruggiano CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | .158 | .273 | .211 |
c-Ackley PH-CF
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .182 | .211 | .348 |
Taylor SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | .100 | .182 | .100 |
Totals | 34 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 132 | |||
a-lined out to left for R Weeks in the 8th b-struck out looking for W Bloomquist in the 8th c-hit sacrifice fly to left for J Ruggiano in the 9th | ||||||||||
BATTING 2B: Seager (6, Street) HR: Seager (3, 4th inning off Wilson 1 on, 1 Out) RBI: Seager 2 (15), Ackley (5) SF: Ackley GIDP: Morrison Mariners RISP: 1-5 (Miller 0-1, Zunino 1-1, Bloomquist 0-1, Morrison 0-1, Canó 0-1) Team LOB: 7 | ||||||||||
BASERUNNING SB: Taylor (1, 2nd base off Wilson/Pérez) CS: Seager (2, 2nd base by Wilson/Pérez) | ||||||||||
FIELDING DP: 1 (Taylor-Canó-Morrison). |
Game Information
Stadium | Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA |
Attendance | 25,160 (55.3% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
Game Time | 2:35 |
Weather | 63 degrees, partly cloudy |
Wind | 6 mph |
Umpires | Home Plate - Marvin Hudson, First Base - Chad Fairchild, Second Base - Jim Joyce, Third Base - Greg Gibson |
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