Erick Aybar Home Run Crushes Mariners

Final Score in Seattle: Angels 7 Mariners 5

A day off for Albert Pujols saw Mike Trout bat third in the lineup for the first time this season and a return to the top of the lineup for Kole Calhoun. The 1-2-3 of Calhoun - Erick Aybar - Trout went eight for twelve and drove in five runs as the Halos womn their 30th game of the seaosn and matched a season-best seven games over .500.

The game also saw the first career triple by C.J. Cron, who ended up a home run short of the cycle. But it saw Grant Green ground into two double plays (don't worry he made an amazing diving catch in LF in a critical late situation and drove in a run) while the LOBsterfest saw cleanup hitting David Freese leave six men on base and #5 hitter Howie Kendrick strand seven.

Matt Shoemaker benefited from the offensive outpouring. He entered the sixth inning having thrown a mere 61 pitches but when a few guys were on and the guy who hit a two-run homer off of him earlier was up it was like ...uh no way dude. Kevin Jepsen allowed one inherited runner to score but the pen was shutdown after that ...until.

Well see, the Angels scored a seventh run in the top of the ninth so it was no longer a save situation. So the old role player Mike Scioscia sits a warmed-up Ernesto Frieri and brings in Fernando Salas. Two runs later, oh, it is time for Frieri. Boom - Light Up The Halo.

The Angels are 1.5 games out of first place and begin a three game series in Oakland Friday night under the lights and hopefully above the occasional leaky Sewage of Alameda County and Oakland Stadium.