It’s been a brutal pair of days at the plate for the Angels with runners in scoring position. They mustered just four hits overall on Friday evening, falling 2-1 to the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
Seattle starter Luis Castillo came out of the gates setting a blazing pace, sitting down the first eight Angels he saw and striking out three of them. Bryce Teodosio finally gave Los Angeles their first hit of the night with a two-out single to right in the top of the third inning.
Castillo immediately refound his groove, striking out Mike Trout to retire the side before holding Los Angeles hitless in both the fourth and fifth. Opposing him on the mound, Angels’ starter Yusei Kikuchi also appeared equally sharp.
The left-hander faced the minimum his first time through the Seattle batting order, retiring the first 10 he saw. However, the Mariners broke through in the fourth for the game’s first run after Cal Raleigh and Jorge Polanco traded doubles to make it 1-0.
Both pitchers eventually exited the contest after six innings, with Kikuchi allowing four hits and striking out three. It was his first quality start since August 20, and his first such start on the road since May 12.
As for Castillo, his six frames of work came with only three hits conceded and five strikeouts. The Angels did manage to charge him with one run in the seventh, when the right-hander was pulled after allowing a leadoff single to Luis Rengifo.
With Carlos Vargas on to pitch out of the bullpen, Logan Davidson ripped an RBI double down the first base line off the glove of Luke Raley to tie the score at one. It was Davidson’s second consecutive night with an RBI after blasting his first career home run in Thursday’s loss.
Despite the rookie first baseman providing the Angels with their runners-in-scoring-position hit all game long, they headed to the home side of the seventh all tied up. The Mariners quickly changed that.
Mitch Garver launched the go-ahead, solo home run into the left field seats off of Connor Brodgon to quickly boost Seattle back in front 2-1. Brogdon left a fastball over the upper middle part of the plate, and Garver did not miss.
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Brogdon, who dealt two innings behind Kikuchi on Friday, has now allowed at least one earned run in his last three appearances. Beforehand, he had worked four consecutive scoreless outings.
With six outs to make something happen, the Los Angeles lineup faded quietly into the Seattle night. Gabe Speier worked through the eighth in 1-2-3 fashion before Andrés Muñoz struck out a pair in the ninth to notch his 35th save.
The lack of health in the lineup was hard to ignore, with key bats such as Jo Adell and Zach Neto noticeably absent. Before the game, LHP Andrew Chafin and catcher Travid d’Arnaud were both placed on the injured list, while Reid Detmers was transferred to the 60-day IL.
Kikuchi provided the depth that an exhausted bullpen desperately needed the day after a 12-inning showdown, but the offense was nowhere to be seen. The Angels have now dropped the first two of four, while the Mariners have officially clinched the season series between the two sides (currently leading 7-4).
On Saturday, left-hander Mitch Farris will take the mound for Los Angeles against Seattle right-hander Bryan Woo (13-7, 3.02 ERA). Woo previously went six innings and allowed two runs in his first appearance against the Angels this season on July 25.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PT.