ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Mariners manager Eric Wedge credits this win to reliever Tom Wilhelmsen.
Wilhelmsen retired Albert Pujols and Mark Trumbo with the tying runs on second and third in the eighth inning and Seattle went on to beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-6 Monday night.
"When you're facing those two hitters in that situation, you can't ask for anything more," Wedge said. "He did a great job of making them work and then he had to finish it off in the ninth. It was a great performance by Tom."
The Angels had cut the Mariners' 8-4 lead to two runs and Pujols coming up with one out in the eighth. Wedge replaced Shawn Kelley with Wilhelmsen.
Pujols hit a comebacker to the mound and John Hester got caught in a rundown between third and home and was tagged out. Hester kept the rundown going long enough to allow Pujols to reach second.
Wilhelmsen then struck out Trumbo, the cleanup hitter. Wilhelmsen pitched a scoreless ninth for his first career save.
Munenori Kawasaki had a three-run double and John Jaso had three hits, leading Mariners. Kyle Seager homered and Seattle had 10 hits overall.
Mariners starter Jason Vargas (7-4) gave up four runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out a season-best eight.
Mike Trout had a career-high four hits and a sacrifice fly and Kendrys Morales hit two home runs for the Angels. The Angels' Mike Scioscia became the ninth manager in AL history to manage 2,000 games with one club.
Angels starter Ervin Santana's struggles continued, and Monday's start was his worst one yet. Santana (2-7) lasted a season-low 4 2/3 innings, and gave up seven runs and eight hits. He walked six and struck out only one.
"My command was off today, that was the issue for today's game," Santana said. "I'm just going to erase today's outing and get the next one."
The Mariners took a 1-0 lead on Seager's two-out home run in the first inning, his seventh of the season. It also was the 16th home run allowed by Santana, most in the majors this year.
Pujols' sacrifice fly in the bottom half tied it at 1.
Santana found trouble in the third inning when he walked Dustin Ackley, Seager and Justin Smoak in succession. Jaso followed with a run-scoring single, and Mike Carp grounded into a run-scoring force play.
Morales hit his fifth home run of the season with one out in the fourth inning to cut the Angels' deficit to 3-2. But the Mariners came back with four in the top of the fifth -- highlighted by Kawasaki's bases-clearing double -- to go up 7-2.
"I wasn't thinking about anything, just react physically," Kawasaki said through an interpreter. "We had a lot of hits today and I think I was able to produce because of all the hits that came before me."
Seattle has scored 55 runs in its last eight games.
"We're facing pretty good pitching, but out lineup is doing a really good job of putting together good at-bats," Jaso said. "Even it if is making an out, it's making the pitcher throw a lot of pitches and that can make him almost lose confidence in certain pitches."
Morales homered again for the Angels in the sixth, both home runs Monday coming right-handed. His previous four this season all came from the left side.
Trout had an RBI single in the sixth off Mariners reliever Brandon League, and added a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Maicer Izturis had an RBI double to pull the Angels to 8-6 and Los Angeles had the tying runs in scoring position with Pujols at the plate.
Game notes
The Mariners selected catcher Mike Zunino from the University of Florida with their first-round pick, third overall in the baseball draft. ... The Angels did not have a selection on the first day of the draft, having given up their first- and second-round picks as compensation for signing free agents Pujols and C.J. Wilson during the offseason. The Angels' first pick will come in the third round on Tuesday, the 114th pick overall. ... Smoak was named the American League player of the week. Smoak hit .348 with three homers, eight RBIs and seven runs scored in six games. ... Angels C Bobby Wilson left Monday's game in the second inning for precautionary reasons after getting hit in the mask by a foul tip. Hester took Wilson's place.
