SEATTLE (AP) — In a matchup of starting pitchers who didn’t have their best stuff, it was Seattle Mariners left-hander Roenis Elias who came up short.
Elias gave up five earned runs, the most the rookie has allowed in his 11 career starts, as the Mariners lost 6-4 to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.
“I just went out and did everything I normally do and it didn’t work out today,” Elias said through a translator. “There were a few pitches a little high but there is nothing to do about it now.”
Elias (3-4) allowed eight hits over 6 1-3 innings, walking one and striking out five. The biggest trouble came in the second inning, when he gave up three straight singles to start the inning and another with one out as the Angels took a 3-0 lead.
“He elevated some pitches in the second,” Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. “But he settled down and gave us a chance.”
Los Angeles starter Jered Weaver (6-3) gave up three runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out five, but he won for the fifth time in six starts.
“This guy is a proven winner. He knows what he’s doing out there and is pretty crafty,” McClendon said. “We battled all night with him.”
Weaver has lasted at least six innings in nine of his 11 starts this season, and this was the first time in eight outings he allowed more than two runs.
“He’s been in the league for a while so he has an idea what he is going to do to each hitter,” said Seattle second baseman Nick Franklin, who had two hits. “You just have to take advantage of his mistakes and hope for the best.”
The Mariners trailed 6-3 going into the ninth and managed a small rally against closer Ernesto Frieri with two outs. Robinson Cano hit a run-scoring single, and Justin Smoak walked before Kyle Seager ended the game with a deep fly to left-center field.
Smoak led off the fourth inning with his seventh home run for Seattle, which had won five of the last six meetings between the teams this season.
C.J. Cron led off the seventh inning with his third homer since making his major league debut on May 3.
The Mariners picked up their first run in the bottom of the second inning when Dustin Ackley doubled and scored on Nick Franklin’s single.
The Angels loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth but only managed one run, with Grant Green scoring as Howie Kendrick grounded into a double play.
The Mariners also loaded the bases for a run in the bottom of the fourth. After Smoak’s homer, the Mariners loaded the bases with two outs. Weaver’s first pitch to James Jones sailed over the head of catcher Chris Iannetta and Ackley scored from third on the wild pitch to cut Los Angeles’ lead to 4-3.
The Angels added another run in the seventh on Mike Trout’s sacrifice fly.
Reliever Sean Burnett, who had come off the disabled list on Friday after recovering from elbow surgery last August, left the game after getting Michael Saunders to pop out leading off the seventh inning.
“He just felt something in his elbow,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “We don’t know exactly what, he’ll be going back down to Southern California (Wednesday) to be evaluated. It looks like disabled list, but we’ll see what’s going on.”
This was Burnett’s third appearance since returning, all of them lasting just one batter. Friday marked the first time he’d pitched in the major leagues since May 26, 2013.
