Ty France’s home run lifts Mariners to 2-1 win over Angels in first game of doubleheader
Ty France didn’t let this losing streak to the Angels inside T-Mobile Park last any longer.
Seattle’s All-Star first baseman crushed a two-run home run in the third inning here Saturday afternoon, lifting the Mariners to a 2-1 win over their American League West rivals in front of 41,507 in the first game of a doubleheader.
The Mariners were trailing early when France turned on a slider from Angels starter Jaime Barria and sent it bouncing into Seattle’s bullpen for his 14th home run of the season.
Jarred Kelenic, who reached on a fielder’s choice earlier in the inning, and advanced on a stolen base and wild pitch, also scored on the drive.
“Offensively, Ty France the one big hit,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “ … But, it wasn’t easy. We’ve struggled obviously the last couple days here at home and we need to pick it up offensively.
“It happens. That’s what happens to offense. It will get a little streaky at times. We’ve still got to find ways. We’re getting guys on base. We’ve got to get that big two-out hit, is what we’re missing right now.”
Still, six innings later, the Mariners (58-50) ended what had been a four-game losing streak against the Angels in Seattle dating back to June.
The last time the Angels visited, Seattle dropped four of five games — including both games of the first doubleheader the clubs played this season — to dip to 10 games below .500 for the first time this season.
The Mariners regrouped from the troubling stretch by winning 22 of their next 25, carrying a 14-game winning streak into the All-Star break and working their way back into postseason contention.
As of Saturday afternoon, Seattle remains in wild-card position, tied with Tampa Bay for the AL’s second spot.
Friday night, in their series opener against Los Angeles to begin this homestand, it appeared the Mariners might end the home drought against the Angels.
Adam Frazier finally snapped what was 29 consecutive scoreless innings against the Angels at T-Mobile Park with a two-out, one-run single in the ninth.
France, in his first game back after missing four with wrist soreness, drove in two more runs on a double the next at-bat to tie the game at 3-3.
But, the Angels eventually won in 10 innings, pushing their stretch of wins against Seattle on the road to four.
Saturday afternoon, though, France made sure it didn’t extend further.
He finished 1-for-3 with the home run, two RBI and a walk Saturday as he continues to get back into a rhythm at the plate.
“It seems like we’re trending in the right direction,” France said.
Seattle (58-50) will now look to sweep the day in the second game, which is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
“Happy to get that first one under our belt,” Servais said. “We’ve got to take a little break here, focus in and … we’ve got to swing the bats here a little bit better in the second game and we’ll see what happens there.”
The Mariners got another quality start from rookie right-hander George Kirby, who tossed six innings, allowing one run on six hits while striking out eight in the first game.
Saturday’s appearance was Kirby’s seventh quality outing in his 15 starts with the big league club.
He efficiently worked through the Angels lineup three times, throwing 80 pitches to the 25 batters he faced and ending three frames with strikeouts.
“George Kirby — outstanding,” Servais said. “Very efficient once he got going into the game. Good stuff today. And really needed it. Anytime you go out for the first game of a doubleheader, you need that starter to go deep and he did a great job.”
Los Angeles’ only run against Kirby was in the second, when Mickey Moniak’s single to right easily brought home Jo Adell, who opened the frame with a ground-rule double then advanced to third on a Kurt Suzuki base hit the previous at-bat.
Kirby ended the threat there, though, striking out Jose Rojas and Andrew Velazquez swinging back-to-back to end the inning.
The Angels held the one-run lead until France’s home run in the third, which finally ended a lengthy stretch during which the Mariners hadn’t led the Angels in a contest at home for 37 innings.
Matt Festa, Andres Munoz and Erik Swanson combined for three scoreless innings in relief to close out the win.
This four-game series against the Angels, which concludes Sunday afternoon, will end the season series between the two at T-Mobile Park.
The division rivals will play each other seven more times this summer, but all in Anaheim.
SHORT HOPS
▪ Mariners right fielder Mitch Haniger (right high ankle sprain) will return to Seattle’s lineup Saturday night, playing right field and batting third.
Haniger has spent the past two weeks with High-A Everett and Triple-A Tacoma on a rehab assignment, and was 8-for-30 (.267) with six runs scored, three homers, eight RBI and 10 walks to five strikeouts in 11 games between the two clubs.
He has not appeared in a game for Seattle since April 29.
Haniger was hitting .200/.222/.486 with three runs scored, a double, three homers, seven RBI and one walk to nine strikeouts in nine games this spring before he was placed on the IL.
▪ Former Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright threw out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Wright signed a one-day contract with Seattle the last week of July so he could retire as a Seahawk. The 33-year-old spent 10 of his 11 seasons in the NFL with Seattle, including winning a Super Bowl with the Seahawks.
▪ The Mariners added to their roster again Saturday, announcing the arrival of Tucker.
“We do have another addition to the roster today,” Servais told reporters ahead of the first game. “We have a team dog. Tucker is in the house.”
Tucker, a 4-year-old Labrador/golden retriever mix, was recently adopted by the clubhouse from OkanDogs rescue in Cashmere.
“Just trying to bring awareness to rescues all over the state of Washington,” Servais said. “There’s dogs out there for everybody. We hit a home run with this one. This little guy is great.”
Tucker can be found on Twitter @MarinersPup.
This story was originally published August 6, 2022 at 4:15 PM.
