Rookie Diaz gets all he can handle from Halos

ANAHEIM — Edwin Diaz has made things look awfully easy for most of his first 10 weeks in the Majors, but the Mariners rookie closer survived a tough challenge in Wednesday’s 4-3 win over the Angels after allowing three hits and a run in the ninth before Kyle Seager’s diving stop and throw for the final out.

“Today I felt the pressure because I got the 3-4-5 hitters with the bases loaded,” Diaz said after surviving for his eighth straight save. “I just tried to make my pitches and get outs. I threw a lot of sliders. I didn’t feel a lot of confidence with my fastball today, so I went to my slider.”

The fact the youngster with the 100-mph heat was going to his slider in such a key situation was an eye-opener to Seager as well.

“I think even more impressive than [the defensive stop] was the fact Diaz threw a 3-1 slider there with the bases juiced and the tying run on third,” Seager said. “That takes some guts. He threw that pitch and it buckled me at third. I was shocked.”

Manager Scott Servais said it was another huge learning step for the 22-year-old.

“I can’t say enogh about the kid,” said Servais. “You do have to go through some of those and it’s nice to go through some when you don’t spit it up and still get the save and can walk out with a smile on your face. He’ll continue to learn from it, but I think everybody again tonight he has the ability to dial it up and that’s why our team is so fired up …

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