Angels deliver blow to Mariners' playoff hopes with 2-1 win

SEATTLE (AP) — After all the one-run games they've played this season, the Seattle Mariners were waiting for their next late-game hero to emerge.

That clutch hit was never delivered for the Mariners. And now Seattle finds itself needing help from others to see its 20-year postseason drought end.

Jose Suarez threw five strong innings, Brandon Marsh accounted for all the offense with a two-run double, and the Los Angeles Angels landed a major blow to Seattle’s postseason hopes by beating the Mariners 2-1 on Friday night.

Seattle dropped into a tie with Toronto, both of them one game behind Boston in the race for the second wild card in the American League. The Mariners had won 10 of their last 11 and started the day knowing a sweep of the Angels would at the very least force a tiebreaker game next Monday.

They ended the night again needing help.

“We have played that game so many times this year it’s incredible,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “And when we’re in that game, we’ve just had a knack of coming up with the big hit, creating havoc out there on the bases and getting enough action to push across a run. Just didn’t happen tonight."

Seattle failed at situational hitting in the seventh and missed its best chance to pull even. In the ninth, Kyle Seager led off with a double, but Raisel Igelsias recovered to get Luis Torrens, Abraham Toro and Jarred Kelenic for his 34th save.

“We are where we are. We're at the moment of truth, I guess. Tomorrow's game is a big one,” Servais said.

Suarez (8-8) was terrific for five innings, the only damage coming on a single by Toro and RBI double from Kelenic. Otherwise, the Mariners were shut down by the lefty, who closed the season by winning three of his final four decisions after joining the Angels rotation in July.

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source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Angels-deliver-blow-to-Mariners-playoff-hopes-16503953.php