Angels go extra innings again with M’s, lose 3-2

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Garrett Richards will carry a chip on his shoulder the rest of the season after getting snubbed for the AL All-Star team.

The Los Angeles Angels’ right-hander said so Saturday night after matching Felix Hernandez in a duel that resulted in no-decisions for both pitchers.

Logan Morrison hit a go-ahead RBI double against Joe Thatcher during Seattle’s two-run 12th inning, and the Mariners survived a leadoff homer in the bottom half by David Freese to beat the Angels 3-2 less than 24 hours after Los Angeles won the series opener by the same score in 16 innings.

Richards, who like Hernandez is 11-2, allowed a run and three hits in eight innings and struck out seven.

He retired his first 15 batters on 49 pitches and struck out the side in the fourth before giving up a leadoff double in the sixth to Dustin Ackley.

“That will be probably something I’ll carry with me the whole year,” Richards said of being left off the All-Star team. “There’s nothing you can do about it now, so I’m just going to go out every five days and try to win a ballgame.

“I gave us a chance to win, and that’s first and foremost for me.”

Hernandez yielded an unearned run and just two hits over seven innings. This was the 12th consecutive start in which the 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner and five-time All-Star threw at least seven innings and allowed two runs or fewer, tying an AL record.

“I knew it was a tough matchup against Richards. He’s been hot for a while,” said Hernandez, who struck out nine and walked four. “I just wanted to go out and compete and make my team win.”

The Angels’ only hit through the first six innings was a leadoff double in the fourth by All-Star MVP Mike Trout. Hernandez, who started for the AL on Tuesday, took a 1-0 lead into the seventh and walked Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton with none out before giving up the tying run.

Shortstop Brad Miller made a diving stop of Howie Kendrick’s single behind second base and threw wildly past first base, allowing Pujols to score. Hernandez then fanned Chris Iannetta with runners at second and third.

“You have to remember that he’s pitching on short rest because he threw on Tuesday, but his stuff was sharp, like always,” Pujols said. “He’s a warrior. He’s going to go out there and give you everything he has. We didn’t have many chances and they didn’t have many chances, either.”

The AL West rivals have played for 9 hours and 21 minutes in their first two games following the break, and the pitching staffs have thrown a total of 779 pitches in 28 innings.

“I don’t think our guys are tired. They’re resilient,” Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. “It’s hard to win games at this level regardless of who you’re playing. We just happened to be playing the team with the second-best record in baseball.

“It was tough, but just like last night, in about five minutes, we’ve got to turn the page and get ready for (Sunday).”

Thatcher (0-1), one of three relievers the Angels acquired from NL teams over the past three weeks, gave up a leadoff double in the 12th to Kyle Seager before Morrison drove him in. Pinch-hitter Justin Smoak scored pinch-runner Willie Bloomquist with an infield hit.

Dominic Leone (3-2) pitched one-plus inning for the victory after taking the loss Friday. He was pulled after giving up Freese’s fifth homer.

Charlie Furbush got three outs for his first save in four major league seasons. Los Angeles remained 1 1-2 games behind AL West-leading Oakland.

Kendrick legged out a leadoff double in the Angels’ ninth, but Brandon Maurer struck out Freese and retired Efren Navarro on a popup before Iannetta struck out for the fourth straight time.

Huston Street pitched a scoreless ninth in his Angels debut following a trade Friday with the San Diego Padres. He became the Angels’ 29th pitcher this season, tying the franchise record set in 1996.

“It’s nice to go someplace where you really do have a good chance to win a world championship this year,” Street said. “That’s the thing that matters most for me. It’s bittersweet, obviously, because I did love it in San Diego.”

NOTES: Hernandez has allowed only two home runs to the last 456 batters he has faced over 16 starts and 118 2-3 innings. … The Angels made room for Street — a two-time All-Star — by optioning 1B/DH C.J. Cron to Triple-A Salt Lake. … Angels SS Erick Aybar sat out because of soreness in his groin, which forced him out of Friday’s game. … Hamilton again was done in by Seattle’s over-shifted infield as 2B baseman Robinson Cano threw him out from the outfield grass his first two times up.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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