Seager’s gem saves Mariners in 9th

ANAHEIM — Rookie Edwin Diaz got credit for his eighth consecutive save on Wednesday, but the real save belonged to Kyle Seager after the Mariners third baseman made an outstanding play on a hard smash by Andrelton Simmons with the bases loaded to get the final out in Seattle’s 4-3 win over the Angels.

“Phenomenal play,” said Mariners manager Scott Servais. “Kyle is as good as it gets and he gets in those grooves it’s like the glove has Velcro in it. Everything is going in it. Not just the play, but to get to his feet and finish the play and get enough on the throw and a good pick by Dae-Ho [Lee].

“What an exciting finish. It’s crazy, these games.”

A night after the Angels rallied against Seattle’s bullpen to snap an 11-game losing skid, the Mariners flipped the tables as five relievers combined for 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball.

Cody Martin went 4 1/3 innings in his first start for Seattle while filling in for James Paxton, allowing seven hits and two runs. But Martin turned a two-run lead over to his ‘pen and it did the rest.

Yunel Escobar had five hits for the Angels and his RBI single off Diaz cut the margin to one in the ninth. But the 22-year-old rookie struck out Jefry Marte then got Simmons, thanks to Seager’s diving stop.

“The first step was to try to stop it and thankully that happened,” said Seager. ‘Then it’s absolutely just panic mode, trying to get rid of it as fast as you can and bounce it over there to Dae-Ho. He made a great pick on the other end, so it worked out as well as it could.”

Tyler Skaggs, making his fifth start since returning from Tommy John surgery, lasted just 3 1/3 innings for the Angels while giving up six hits and four runs.

Storen earned the win with 1 1/3 perfect innings after inheriting a two-on, one-out situation in the fifth and the rookie Diaz notched his eighth straight save with the late tight-wire act. Mariners center fielder Leonys Martin helped out with two outfield assists, two excellent catches, a sacrifice fly, a stolen base and a run scored in an outstanding all-around game.

The Mariners have won 12 of their last 15 games to pull themselves back into playoff contention as they’re two games back of the Orioles for the second American League Wild Card berth at 64-55. The Angels continue heading the opposite direction, having …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com