SEATTLE — Ty France hit a go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-4 on Friday night.
The homer put some buzz back into the crowd of 40,001, after Jo Adell erased Seattle’s four-run lead with a pinch-hit grand slam for the Angels in the seventh inning off reliever Tayler Saucedo.
Trent Thornton started the inning and gave up two walks, a fielder’s choice and a double in relief of starter Bryan Woo, who gave up just three hits on 66 pitches over six innings.
After Thornton loaded the bases by walking Logan O’Hoppe, Mariners manager Scott Servais brought in Saucedo, who promptly gave up the grand slam to Adell to knot the game up at 4.
Cal Raleigh drove in Seattle’s first run against Angels starter José Soriano with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the first, and France drove in two more in the inning with a double off the top of the right field wall.
Raleigh made it a four-run game with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Adell erased the Mariners lead with his shot. The pinch-hit grand slam was the first for the Angels (and first given up by the Mariners) since May 26, 2012, when Alberto Callaspo hit one off Felix Hernandez in Seattle.
But France’s 417-foot shot off Angels reliever Matt Moore (1-2) put the Mariners back in front for good. He finished the night with three hits and three RBIs.
Andrés Muñoz pitched the ninth inning for his 12th save. Ryan Stanek (3-0) got the win.
Angels center fielder Mickey Moniak made a highlight-reel play in the fourth, when he robbed Luke Raley of a two-run homer by leaping at the center field fence to bring a 405-foot line drive back in the yard.
Trainer’s room
Mariners: OF Luke Raley was back in the lineup after sitting out Thursday’s game with a sore lat. … Angels 1B Nolan Schanuel was scratched from Friday’s lineup with left thumb soreness. Schanuel was originally slated to lead off, and was replaced at first base by Willie Calhoun.
Up next
Angels LHP Reid Detmers (3-5, 5.76 ERA) will start on Saturday against Mariners’ RHP Bryce Miller (4-5, 3.48 ERA).
