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Vargas helps Mariners blank Angels

May 19, 2011 - 6:17 AM Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Justin Vargas pitched seven shutout frames, as Seattle downed the Angels, 3-0, in the first contest of a brief two-game set at Safeco Field.

Vargas (3-2) scattered four hits, struck out nine and walked two, extending his scoreless-innings streak to 16 frames. The southpaw has given up just one earned run over his last 23 2/3 innings. Jack Cust finished 2-for-4 with two runs batted in for the Mariners, who have won two of three overall.

"I felt good, I got ahead early in the game, cutter was good again," said Vargas. "It just felt good, just trying to build, stay where I'm at, just not really change anything."

Jered Weaver (6-4) gave up three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and one walk over six innings, losing his fourth straight. He has surrendered 14 earned runs over 24 innings during the stretch. Bobby Abreu had two hits in the loss, the Angels' fourth in a row.

"I gave them an opportunity to get some runs, and they put some big hits together," said Weaver. "I had to battle again today. You got to score runs to win and (that) didn't happen today. Jason (Vargas) threw a hell of a game tonight."

Seattle jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the first as Chone Figgins doubled to left with one out, moved to third when Justin Smoak reached on Mark Trumbo's fielding error and scored on Cust's single to right. Franklin Gutierrez, in his first game of the season, then grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Two more runners crossed home in the third as Ichiro Suzuki singled, moved to second on a groundout and cruised home on Smoak's double that one-hopped the wall in right. Cust's ensuing single plated the first baseman for a three-run edge.

Brandon League pitched the ninth for his 10th save of the season.

Game Notes

This was the first meeting between these two division foes this season...Vargas and Weaver were college teammates at Long Beach State...The Angels were shut out in consecutive games for the second time this season. Boston blanked them on April 23rd and 24th.