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Napoli homers in ninth as Angels top Mariners

Sep 13, 2008 - 6:15 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Mike Napoli belted a two-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday.

Napoli, who had four RBI, tied the game, 3-3, in the seventh with a sacrifice fly to center that scored Juan Rivera. Napoli belted his game-winning homer into the Angels' bullpen in left off Seattle reliever Miguel Batista.

Seattle had scored two runs in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. Raul Ibanez and Adrian Beltre each had RBI singles in the frame for the Mariners, who have lost three of four.

Jose Arredondo (8-2) pitched a perfect ninth to pick up the win.

"We executed in the situations we needed too. We did just enough to get it done tonight," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Beltre extended his hitting streak to 15 games with an RBI double in the first inning that gave Seattle a 1-0 edge.

"I'm not doing anything different," Beltre said. "I'm just seeing the ball better right now and being more patient. we played good enough to win tonight, but came up short."

The Angels scored two in the second to take the lead as Robb Quinlan had an RBI triple and Napoli followed with a single to plate Quinlan and make it 2-1.

Quinlan drew a two-out walk from Batista (1-7) and Chone Figgins came on to pinch run. Figgins ended up being able to jog home in front of Napoli, who launched a 3-1 offering over the wall in left for his 16th home run of the season.

"I have never hit a walk off before and it's a great feeling," Napoli said. "I had a good night swinging the bat. On my sac fly, I was just trying to stay short on the ball and drive it in the air somewhere. I just wanted to try to drive a pitch to a gap and let Figgy run. I ended up getting a cutter away in a good hitters count and made good contact."

Neither starter figured in the decision and Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez was not called upon Friday. He has 15 games to break the major league single-season saves record after recording his 57th on Thursday against Seattle to tie Bobby Thigpen's mark from 1990

Joe Saunders allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings for the Angels.

"I have a lot more to contribute to the team this year. tonight was just one of those games when you don't have your best stuff but you don't have your worst stuff," Saunders said. "I just have to be a pitcher and get outs anyway you can and keep the team in the ball game. I just want to stay healthy from here on out and fine tune for the playoffs. we still have a lot to play for because we want home field advantage in the playoffs."

Ryan Rowland-Smith gave up three runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Mariners.