ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Zach Neto capped his bobblehead giveaway night with a two-out RBI single in the 10th inning to lift the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.
Jose Rodriguez hit two solo homers for the Mariners, but Angels reliever Ryan Zeferjahn (6-3) escaped a two-on, no-out jam in the top of the 10th, and Neto grounded his winning hit off the glove of diving second baseman Cole Young for the first walk-off hit of his career.
Neto had two hits and scored a run, and Jo Adell drove in two runs for the Angels, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Mariners right-hander Casey Legumina (4-5) took the loss.
Seattle starter Bryan Woo gave up two runs and four hits in six innings, striking out six and walking two. Angels starter José Soriano allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, striking out five and walking one.
Rodriguez lined a 98-mph sinker from Soriano over the right-center field wall in the first for his 16th homer of the season and a 1-0 Mariners lead.
Adell, who was mired in a 1-for-20 slump, lined a two-out, two-run double to left in the bottom of the inning for a 2-1 lead.
Rodriguez opened the sixth with a 408-foot shot to left for his fifth career multihomer game and a 2-all tie.
Key Moment
With two on, Zeferjahn struck out Cal Raleigh looking with a 99-mph fastball to preserve a 2-2 tie in the 10th.
Key Stat
Woo has thrown six innings or more with two or fewer walks in all 20 starts this season, the fourth-longest streak of its kind in major league history behind San Francisco’s Juan Marichal (23 games in 1968), Seattle/Texas’s Cliff Lee (21 games in 2010) and Arizona’s Curt Schilling (21 in 2002).
Up Next
Mariners RHP George Kirby (4-5, 4.65 ERA) opposes Angels LHP Tyler Anderson (2-6, 4.43) on Saturday night.
New Seattle slugger Josh Naylor plugged into cleanup spot behind Raleigh for debut against Angels
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Pressure is a privilege in the eyes of new Seattle Mariners slugger Josh Naylor.
Naylor is looking forward to the opportunity to bat cleanup in his first game with Seattle against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
“I love the word pressure,” said Naylor, a first baseman who was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks for two pitching prospects on Thursday. “I think it’s a gift, a position God puts you in because he knows you can handle it.”
The left-handed hitting Naylor likely won’t win a Gold Glove at first base. But, he has always been able to handle the bat.
The 28-year-old Naylor is a career .267 hitter with a .773 OPS in seven big-league seasons. He joins the Mariners after hitting .292 with an .807 OPS, 11 homers, 19 doubles, 59 RBIs, 49 strikeouts and 37 walks in 93 games with the D-Backs this season.
Naylor, who played in 19 playoff games with the Cleveland Guardians, is also a career .294 hitter with an .846 OPS with runners in scoring position. He entered Friday with a .298 average (28 for 94) and .810 OPS in those situations this season.
That track record earned Naylor a prime position in Seattle’s lineup behind No. 3 hitter Cal Raleigh, who entered Friday as the MLB leader with 39 homers and tied for second 84 RBIs. Seattle’s No. 5 hitter is Randy Arozarena, who entered Friday with 19 homers and 51 RBIs.
“I think he’s a good fit (in the cleanup spot) because of the way he swings the bat,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “He’s a guy who is going to have a great approach in those RBI situations.
“He’s been through a lot. I’ve seen some (of his) postseasons, so he’s a guy who brings a lot of valuable experience to the group, and that will do nothing but enhance what has already been a very special season with this group.”
Naylor should be a considerable offensive upgrade at first base over Donovan Solano, who is hitting .243 with a .626 OPS, three homers and 20 RBIs in 64 games, and Luke Raley, who is batting .220 with a .691 OPS, four homers and 18 RBIs in 49 games.
Utility man Miles Mastrobuoni was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma to clear a 26-man roster spot for Naylor.
“I’ve heard nothing but great things about this organization, about this team, about how hard they play,” Naylor said of the American League wild-card-contending Mariners, who entered Friday with a 55-48 record. “They’re a tough group. Obviously, the pitching speaks for itself, they’re phenomenal on that end. The offense is great, too.
“Raleigh’s having such an incredible year. It’s super cool to watch from the outside. Julio (Rodriguez) is such a leader, a phenomenal player and athlete — he’s a game changer. I’m really excited to be here and be a part of it and to see how I can contribute.”
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