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Santana, Guerrero power Angels to fifth straight win

Sep 23, 2008 - 6:08 AM By Paul Lowenberg PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Ervin Santana pitched eight effective innings and Vladimir Guerrero homered and had three hits as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim posted a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Monday.

The loss was the 12th in a row for the struggling Mariners - their longest losing streak since September 2-18, 1992, when they dropped 14 straight.

Meanwhile, the Angels improved their record to 97-59, the best in baseball, as they continued their quest for the first 100-victory season in franchise history.

The win for Santana (16-6) tied his career high and was his first since beating Detroit on September 4. He is 3-0 against the Mariners this year and 6-2 lifetime.

"Overall, I thought he pitched a terrific game tonight," Angels manger Mike Scioscia said. "He got in some trouble with the bases loaded, but was able to pitch his way out of it. He was looking right on target and (that's) some of the best (pitching) we've seen this year."

Santana allowed one run and five hits in eight innings, walking none and striking out nine. He retired the final 12 batters he faced before giving way to Francisco Rodriguez, who worked the ninth inning to extend his major league record with his 61st save.

"It was a tough loss, but when he's (Santana) throwing like that he's one of those guys in the league that have just got that electric stuff and when they're on like that, it's tough," Mariners manager Jim Riggleman said.

Guerrero tied the game, 1-1, in the fourth inning with his 25th homer and moved closer to joining some elite company.

Guerrero's blast was his 390th and moved him into a tie for 49th place on the all-time list with Graig Nettles. His three-hit performance lifted his batting average to .302 and kept alive his chance of tying Lou Gehrig as the only players in major league history to hit over .300 with 25 homers or more for 11 consecutive seasons.

"That was a big home run for him," Scioscia said. "Anytime you are mentioned with Lou Gehrig it puts into context how good you are. (Guerrero's) one of the best hitters, I think, that's ever stepped into the box."

Reggie Willits put the Angels on top for good in the seventh inning.

Jeff Mathis singled off Mariners starter Ryan Rowland-Smith (4-3) with one out in the frame. Willits followed with a single to left-center field that got by left fielder Raul Ibanez for an error, allowing Mathis to score and give the Angels a 2-1 lead.

Rowland-Smith, who had not allowed more than three runs in any of his six previous starts, turned in another effective performance, surrendering two runs - one earned - while walking one and striking out six in seven innings.

It was his seventh consecutive quality start, the longest such streak by a Mariners pitcher since Jamie Moyer also had seven in a row from August 26-September 28, 2003.

"Ryan pitched another good game for us, real good," Riggleman said. "It was maybe the best game he's pitched for us. He was outstanding. It just so happens that Santana pitched what might have been the best game pitched against us this year."

"It's not fun coming here every day and thinking about (the losing streak)," Rowland-Smith said. "But we only have a week left and obviously we're out of it, but me, personally, every time I go out and get one more start I just try to make the most of it."

The Mariners loaded the bases with three consecutive singles to begin the third, including one by Ichiro Suzuki to extend his hitting streak to 15 games. However, Seattle managed only one run as Ibanez's RBI groundout to first provided a 1-0 lead.