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Teixeira homer leads Angels past Mariners

Sep 25, 2008 - 7:09 AM By Paul Lowenberg PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SEATTLE (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were a pretty good team, even before the picked up Mark Teixeira in a deal with the Atlanta Braves. Now the Angels are even better.

Teixeira capped a four-hit night with a solo home run in the eighth inning to give the Angels a 6-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night.

Teixeira's blast into the right field seats off a 2-0 offering from Mark Lowe (1-5) snapped a 5-5 tie and was his 13th since coming to the Angels in a trade with Atlanta on July 29.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia thinks the playoff-bound Angels are even better since Teixeira joined them.

"We had the best record in baseball," Scioscia said. "But he has added a different element which has really shown up the second half. He's added depth to our lineup and brought a great defensive presence to first base. He's fit right in the middle of our lineup and his presence makes any lineup deeper."

Teixeira said he just considered himself lucky to be part of the winningest team in baseball.

"They were going to win the division no matter what, so bringing me in was a pleasant surprise for me," said Teixeira, who has reached base safely in 46 of the 50 games he has played with the Angels. "This team has everything it needs, so I am just going to go out there and play good defense, drive in some runs, get on base and hopefully help out in all ways."

Mike Napoli went 3-for-4 with a walk for the Angels and is now 13-for-20 over his last five games. The Mariners Ichiro Suzuki was 0-for-5 to snap his 16-game hitting streak.

"I'm feeling pretty good right now," Napoli said. "I go out an play hard every day and things happen."

Reliever Darren Oliver (7-1) pitched two perfect innings for the victory and Scot Shields worked his way out of a one-out, bases loaded jam in the eighth to help preserve the victory. Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his 62nd save, extending his major league record.

The Angels (98-60) won for the 13th time in their last 17 games and trimmed their magic number to three in their quest for the best record in the American League and home field advantage in the playoffs.

The Mariners (58-100) have lost 100 games in a season for the fourth time in their history and for the first time since 1983.

Seattle had built a 5-2 advantage in the fifth on run-scoring singles by Jeremy Reed and Brian LaHair along with a throwing error by Angels shortstop Eric Aybar that allowed another run to score.

The lead didn't last long as the Angels tied it in the sixth with three runs of their own. Sean Rodriguez' doubled home two runs then scored the tying run on a double play grounder by Garret Anderson.

Jon Garland, coming off one of the poorest outings of his career when he gave up nine runs on 10 hits in 2 1/3 innings, endured another rocky start. He lasted five innings, allowed five runs on 11 hits, walked one and struck out two.

Scioscia showed a little concern about his 14-game winner.

"I don't think Jon is able to repeat pitches like he did," Scioscia said. "At times he gets on a good roll and makes good pitches and at times he's just outside the zone. His arm looks good. His stuff looks good. It's just a matter of getting the ball in some spots."

Mariners starter Felix Hernandez did not fare much better. Despite being staked to a 5-2 lead after five innings, the 22-year-old righthander left after six, allowing five runs - four earned - and giving up 13 hits to tie his career high.

It was Hernandez' final outing of the season and Mariners manager Jim Riggleman wanted to leave him in to reach the 200-innings-pitched mark.

"I'm happy for Felix," Riggleman said. "Those round numbers mean a lot to players. Those numbers stand for something and in Felix's case they stand for a great effort in a tough situation all year."

Hernandez, who wound up with a 9-11 record and a 3.45 ERA, had lost his previous three decisions and has not won since beating the Cleveland Indians on August 29.

Jose Lopez joined some select company when he doubled home Yuniesky Betancourt to give the Mariners a 1-0 advantage in the first. Lopez' two-bagger was his 40th of the year, making him just the seventh American League second baseman with 40 doubles, 15 home runs and 80 RBI in a single season.

The Angels grabbed a 2-1 lead in the second when Aybar singled in Torii Hunter and later scored and unearned run on a passed ball.

Miguel Cairo's RBI single in the second tied it 2-2.

Vladimir Guerrero was denied a home run when a ball he hit near the base of the left field foul pole was ruled foul following a review by the umpires using the new instant replay system.