George Kirby pitched eight effective innings and Cole Young hit two home runs as the Seattle Mariners rallied to defeat the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 on Monday night.
Seattle recovered from an early two-run deficit behind Kirby’s steady performance and a balanced offensive effort that included home runs from Young and Dominic Canzone. The victory brought the Mariners back to the .500 mark at 43-43 and kept them within a half-game of the first-place Texas Rangers in the American League West.
The Angels struck quickly against Kirby, but Seattle answered with four unanswered runs before adding insurance late to secure the series-opening win.
Angels Jump Out Early
Los Angeles wasted little time taking the lead.
Zach Neto opened the game with a double to center field, and Denzer Guzman followed two pitches later with an RBI single to put the Angels ahead 1-0.
Neto added to the advantage in the third inning when he drove a two-out pitch over the wall for his 18th home run of the season. The solo shot extended the lead to 2-0 and continued the shortstop’s productive offensive stretch.
The Angels appeared to have early momentum, but Kirby settled in after the opening innings and prevented further damage.
Kirby Regains Control
After allowing the two early runs, Kirby dominated the remainder of his outing.
The right-hander worked eight innings, allowing seven hits while striking out seven. He issued only one walk and consistently escaped trouble with timely strikeouts.
His best sequence came in the fifth inning after Josh Lowe doubled with one out. Kirby responded by striking out the next three hitters, including Neto, to end the threat.
He retired six consecutive batters after that before Lowe doubled again to begin the eighth. Kirby walked Neto with one out but finished his night by striking out Guzman looking and Nolan Schanuel swinging on his 100th pitch.
José A. Ferrer handled the ninth inning to complete the victory.
Young Sparks Seattle Comeback
Young supplied the biggest offensive performance of the night.
The rookie second baseman began Seattle’s comeback by leading off the third inning with his eighth home run of the season, cutting the Angels’ lead to 2-1.
The Mariners moved ahead in the fourth with help from an Angels defensive mistake.
Randy Arozarena reached after being hit by a pitch and advanced when Guzman committed a two-base fielding error on Josh Naylor’s ground ball. With two runners in scoring position, Cal Raleigh dropped a bloop single into the outfield, driving in both runners for a 3-2 Seattle lead.
The Mariners continued to add on in the sixth.
Dominic Canzone opened the inning with his 13th home run of the season, increasing the advantage to 4-2.
Later in the inning, Naylor walked and stole second before Young connected again. His second home run of the game, a two-run shot with two outs, stretched Seattle’s lead to 6-2 and effectively put the game away.
Angels Unable To Answer
Los Angeles generated several scoring opportunities but could not capitalize after the third inning.
Ryan Johnson kept the Angels in the game despite the loss. The rookie right-hander pitched five innings and surrendered three runs, though only one was earned because of the defensive error behind him.
Reliever Mitch Farris took over in the sixth but allowed three runs over his three innings of work, including both home runs by Seattle in the inning.
The Angels collected seven hits but failed to produce another run after Neto’s third-inning homer. Kirby repeatedly worked out of trouble, using strikeouts and weak contact to keep Seattle in front.
Mariners Gain Ground In Division Race
The win improved Seattle to an even 43-43 record and helped the club remain within striking distance in a competitive American League West race.
Young finished with two home runs and three runs batted in, while Canzone and Raleigh also delivered key offensive contributions. Kirby’s ability to recover from the early deficit gave Seattle the foundation it needed to earn another important division victory.
For the Angels, Neto continued his strong season with two extra-base hits and both of the team’s runs, but the offense stalled after the third inning as Los Angeles dropped the series opener.
Up Next
The three-game series continues Tuesday in Seattle.
The Angels are scheduled to start right-hander Walbert Ureña, who enters with a 5-6 record and a 3.14 ERA.
The Mariners will counter with right-hander Bryce Miller, who is 3-2 with a 1.97 ERA.
