Torii Hunter HR Early Leads Angels Over Mariners

Final Score in Seattle: Angels 4, Mariners 3 ...and The Magic Number is 30. Any combination of Angels wins and Rangers losses that adds up to 30 delivers the American League West to the LAAoA.

Maicer Izturis took a pitch to the knee to lead off the game. The HBP had a better crack to the sound of it than most hits off of either team's bat tonight. in the bottom of the third inning The Mice Man played two innings in the field (he was in at SS to rest Erick Aybar tonight) but all that did was make it painfully apparent how critical defense is to this tightrope-walking pitching staff. September recall Andrew Romine was substituted in for his glove and made for some dazzling defense.

There was no defense involved in the first 4 batters of the game starting with that Izturis HBP, a walk to Peter Bourjos, a strikeout of Howie Kendrick and a 3-run HR to Torii Hunter. Kendrick's third inning HR was sure needed though as Ervin Santana suddenly couldn't find the strike zone in the bottom that frame allowing three runs on two walks, two singles and a two-run Ichiro Suzuki double. Ervin waked 7 batters in 6.2 IP, striking out 5 and only allowing 4 hits on 109 pitches.

Yesterday's goat, Scott Downs, pitched a scoreless 8th inning with 1BB and 1 K. Downs and Bobby Cassevah got HOLDS, Ervin got the W (he is now 11-9) and a rested Jordan Walden had a 1-2-3 9th inning for the Save, his 27th.