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Mariners beat Weaver, Angels

Aug 12, 2012 - 10:30 PM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Jason Vargas pitched into the ninth inning, Jesus Montero hit two home runs and the Seattle Mariners downed to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 4-1, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Angel Stadium.

Vargas (13-8) allowed one run on seven hits and a walk while striking out five over 8 1/3 innings to earn the win. Tom Wilhelmsen recorded the final two outs of the game to record his 16th save of the year.

Chone Figgins also knocked in a run for Seattle, which took the last two games of this series.

Jered Weaver (15-2) surrendered three runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts through seven innings to suffer his first loss since May 13. He had won his last nine starts and 10 consecutive decisions.

Vernon Wells brought home the lone run for the Angels, who have dropped eight of their last 11.

Seattle opened the scoring in the second inning with Montero's leadoff homer to center field.

But the Angels answered in the bottom of the frame as Howie Kendrick worked a one-out walk, advanced to third on an Erick Aybar single and came home on Wells' sacrifice fly to right.

Each team failed to push across the go-ahead run with runners in scoring position over the next two innings, including the Angels leaving the bases loaded in the home third, before the Mariners regained the lead in the sixth when Montero followed John Jaso's two-out single with a blast just inside the left-field foul pole for a 3-1 advantage.

Torii Hunter's one-out single in the eighth snapped a string of 13 straight retired batters by Vargas, but he was quickly erased on Albert Pujols' inning- ending 4-6-3 double play.

Seattle then added an insurance run in the ninth when Jaso worked a leadoff walk and rounded the bases two batters later on Figgins' triple down the first-base line.

Vargas was removed in favor of Wilhelmsen following Kendrick's triple off the base of the wall in center field with one out in the ninth, and the reliever fanned Aybar before Wells flied out to deep center field to close out the game.

Game Notes

Angels pitching coach Mike Butcher was ejected from the game in the first inning for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Mike Estabrook...Vargas improved to 5-4 in 13 career appearances -- 12 starts -- against the Angels...Weaver lost for the first time at Angel Stadium this season, falling to 8-1 in 10 starts...The Angels lead the season series between the teams, 6-4.