The Mariners' offense came too late in the second of a four-game series against their American League West rivals.
SEATTLE — A late surge from the Seattle Mariners in the eighth and ninth innings wasn't enough as the team dropped the second of a four-game series 7-5 to the Los Angeles Angels on Friday at T-Mobile Park.
The Mariners were held scoreless through the first seven innings of the game by Angels starting pitcher Reid Detmers and reliever Jose Fermin, but found an opening against relievers Sam Bachman and John Murphy.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, down 6-0, with the bases loaded and one out, center fielder Julio Rodriguez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give Seattle its first run of the game and keep the bases juiced.
Second baseman/left fielder Michael Arroyo hit an RBI single two batters after Rodriguez to cut Los Angeles' lead to 6-2. Former Mariners reliever Tayler Saucedo entered the game to get the final out of the inning, which he did after striking out Cole Young, which left the bases loaded.
Seattle finished the game 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven.
"(Detmer's) a smart pitcher," M's manager Dan Wilson said after the game Friday. "He knows what he's doing and was able to move it around again tonight. Used his fastball, and I thought he had a good changeup, too, and used it down (in the strike zone) quite a bit."
Those three potential scores came back to bite the Mariners after they continued their rally in in the ninth inning.
The Angels bolstered their lead to 7-2 in the top of the final frame after shortstop Zach Neto hit an RBI double off reliever Troy Taylor, who went two innings in his first major league appearance of the season and first since May 19, 2025.
Neto also had a solo home run in the top of the seventh that increased Los Angeles' advantage to 6-0.
Taylor got through the top of the ninth without any more damage, and Seattle made it close in the bottom of the ninth.
The Mariners put up three runs in the final inning. One came courtesy of a two-out RBI triple from designated hitter Randy Arozarena.
Right fielder Dominic Canzone accounted for the final two with a two-run, opposite field blast to left field.
"The way Dom continues to swing the bat, the home run to left was impressive," Wilson said. "The near-home run (earlier in the game) was impressive. He just keeps hitting the ball hard everywhere, all over the field. That's the kind of year he's had."
The rally ended at Canzone's home run and Rodriguez flew out to end the inning.
Before Seattle's late rally, Los Angeles built a 2-0 lead through the first four innings of the game after left fielder Wade Meckler scored on a wild pitch in the top of the first and third baseman/first baseman Vaughn Grissom hit an RBI single in the top of the fourth.
The most key swing of the game was L.A. second baseman Christian Moore's two-out, three-run shot in the top of the sixth that bolstered the visitor's advantage to 5-0.
The hit came on a fastball above the zone on an 0-2 count, a pitch Moore struck out swinging through in the top of the fourth.
"It's one of those things," Miller said after the game. "I've beat a lot of people, a lot of really good hitters with that pitch. I don't know how he got to it, but credit to him. Good swing."
The Mariners will attempt to get their first win of the final series of the season in the penultimate game of the year against the Angels at 6:40 p.m. PT on Saturday.
Kade Anderson will start for Seattle and Ryan Johnson will start for Los Angeles.
