SEATTLE MARINERS

Logan Gilbert strikes out 9, Mariners beat Angels 7-4 to win series

Jul 18, 2021, 4:56 PM | Updated: 6:18 pm

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Patrick Sandoval #43 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Patrick Sandoval #43 of the Los Angeles Angels is checked on after being hit by a ball during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Mitch Haniger #17, Tom Murphy #2, and Ty France #23 of the Seattle Mariners celebrate scoring off an error during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Mitch Haniger #17 and Ty France #23 of the Seattle Mariners celebrate scoring off an error with teammates in the dugout during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: David Fletcher #22 of the Los Angeles Angels makes the throw to first base against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Luis Torrens #22 of the Seattle Mariners hits during his at bat during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Luis Torrens #22 of the Seattle Mariners hits during his at bat during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts to first base coach Bruce Hines #99 during the third inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after the final out with bases loaded at the end of the third inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Luis Torrens #22 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates after his home run with Jarred Kelenic #10 during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Luis Torrens #22 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his home run with teammates in the dugout during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Luis Torrens #22 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after his home run during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Patrick Sandoval #43 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches during the third inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Brandon Marsh #16 of the Los Angeles Angels at bat during the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Ty France #23 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his three run home run with teammates in the dugout during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Ty France #23 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his three run home run with Luis Torrens #22 during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: JT Chargois #84 of the Seattle Mariners runs to first base to tag out Jack Mayfield #59 of the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels hits his two run home run during the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels watches his two run home run during the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels runs around the bases after hitting a two run home run during the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Dylan Moore #25, J.P. Crawford #3 and Jarred Kelenic #10 of the Seattle Mariners celebrate their 7-4 win against the Los Angeles Angels after the game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Kyle Seager #15, Mitch Haniger #17, Ty France #23 and Dillon Thomas #27 of the Seattle Mariners celebrate their 7-4 win against the Los Angeles Angels after the game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Seattle Mariners are proving to be unbeatable whenever Logan Gilbert is pitching.

The Mariners won their ninth straight game with the rookie right-hander on the mound, defeating the Los Angeles Angels 7-4 Sunday.

Mariners 7, Angels 4: Box score

Gilbert struck out a career-high nine and was supported with three hits from Ty France, including a three-run homer in the sixth inning.

“Logan was awesome. He really attacked and dominated his first time through the lineup,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said.

The Mariners won for the fifth time in their last seven games despite Shohei Ohtani’s 34th homer of the season. He added to his major league-leading home run total in the ninth inning, hitting his first since the All-Star break.

David Fletcher’s 26-game hitting streak ended when he went 0 for 5. The streak was the longest in the majors this season and the second-longest in Angels history.

Seattle’s nine straight wins when Gilbert has started is a franchise record for a rookie. It is also the longest single-season streak for a Mariners pitcher since they won 13 straight starts by Jaime Moyer in 2001.

“I don’t even look at him as a rookie anymore. He has 10 starts under his belt and is just so composed,” Servais said. “He’s got such a good game plan when he walks out there every inning and makes adjustments.”

Gilbert (4-2) allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six of the first seven batters he faced as he improved to 4-0 in his last seven starts.

Gilbert had a first-pitch strike to 16 of the 24 batters he faced while also generating 18 swings and misses. It was the fourth time this season he induced 18 whiffs from opposing batters.

“I think the main thing is getting ahead,” said Gilbert, who threw strikes on 60 of his 94 pitches. “It’s kind of funny how it works sometimes that when I’m going for strikeouts it doesn’t work out that way. But when I try to force contact and get ahead, it sets up the strikeouts.”

Luis Torrens also went deep for the Mariners. His solo shot off Patrick Sandoval (2-4) in the fourth inning was his ninth of the season and extended Seattle’s lead to 3-0.

France, who went 7 for 12 in the series, hit his 10th homer of the year when he drove Sandoval’s changeup over the wall in center in the sixth to give the Mariners a 6-0 advantage. He was beaned by a 92 mph fastball from Rich Wantz in the eighth inning, but remained in the game.

José Iglesias had two hits for the Angels, including a two-run double in the sixth.

Sandoval looked like his day was going to end early after being struck on the left forearm on France’s comebacker in the first inning, but the left-hander shook it off and ended up going seven innings for the second straight start. Sandoval was charged with six runs (four earned) on six hits with nine strikeouts.

Sandoval nearly got out of the first inning stranding runners in scoring position when Torrens hit a ground ball to first baseman Jared Walsh. But Walsh, who was playing midway between first and second base, lost his footing on the infield dirt and his throw to Sandoval at first was way off target, allowing two runs to score.

“When you play a team with that type of pitching you can’t make those types of mistakes. They pitch real well and that was the difference between the two teams,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said.

BACK ON TRACK?

Ohtani was 2 for 12 in the series going into the ninth inning, but the Angels’ two-way sensation finally broke through on a full count when he lined a slider from Paul Sewald that was below the strike zone into the seats in right-center.

Maddon said Ohtani might have been off a little technically — as opposed to citing fatigue from participating in the Home Run Derby.

“He might have been off mechanically a little bit. That’s why I like that home run almost to dead center,” he said. “It might have not so much from a fatigue perspective as a technical perspective.”

TOUGH START

Brandon Marsh, who began the season as the No. 2 prospect in the Angels’ organization, went 0 for 3 in his major league debut. Marsh was batting seventh and played center field.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: OF Dillon Thomas was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma after OF Jake Fraley was placed on the COVID-19 injured list.

Mariners OF Jake Fraley placed on COVID-19 injury list, in isolation

Angels: OF Justin Upton, who has been on the injured list since June 25 due to a right low back strain, is expected to begin a rehab assignment sometime this week.

UP NEXT

Mariners: Off on Monday before beginning a two-game series at Colorado on Tuesday. LHP Marco Gonzales (1-5, 5.88 ERA) gets the call in the opener.

Angels: Ohtani (4-1, 3.49) takes the mound on Monday when Los Angeles starts a six-game road trip in Oakland.

Dipoto: Mariners first-rounder Harry Ford has ‘rare combination’

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