SEATTLE—Brandon Drury drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the eighth inning Wednesday, July 24, as the Los Angeles Angels completed a three-game sweep of the struggling Seattle Mariners with a 2–1 victory.
The Mariners were booed by fans after losing for the eighth time in their past nine games and for the 20th time in 29 games, slipping to 53–51 overall. The extended troubles have left Seattle a game behind first-place Houston (53–49) in the American League West.
Mariners starter Luis Castillo worked six shutout innings before the Angels finally scored against the Seattle bullpen. Nolan Schanuel led off the eighth with a single against reliever Gregory Santos and scored on a two-out single by Willie Calhoun, knotting the score at 1–1.
Santos (0–1) then left the game and Drury put the Angels ahead with a single off Trent Thornton that scored pinch-runner Kevin Pillar from second base.
It was a welcome moment of triumph for Drury, who entered the game hitting .164, with one homer and just seven RBIs in 50 games played.
“Anytime you come up with the big hit, it feels good,” Drury said. “But obviously, it’s been a tough start to the season for me, for sure. I felt good today and hopefully I can use this to keep it rolling for the two-plus months we’ve got left.”
Santos left with right-knee pain after throwing 16 pitches in the eighth, giving up one run on two singles before exiting with Manager Scott Servais and trainers.
Castillo pitched well for Seattle, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out seven over six innings.
Griffin Canning surrendered one earned run on four hits over five innings for the Angels.
“I thought he was outstanding,” Angels Manager Ron Washington said. “You go back four or five games, there’s quite a few situations he was in out there that he caved in and didn’t get out of them. Today, he competed and got out of them.”
Carlos Estévez pitched the ninth for his 20th save. Hans Crause (4–0) pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Angels left-handed reliever José Quijada, who underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2023, worked a scoreless inning in his first major-league appearance since April 27, 2023.
Seattle’s only run came on a Mitch Haniger home run in the second inning.
Angels pitching held the Mariners to one run in each of the three games of the series. Los Angeles became the first team this season to sweep Seattle.
Trainer’s Room
Angels: Outfielder Mike Trout, who prematurely left his first minor-league rehab game for Salt Lake after experiencing knee pain Tuesday night, returned to Southern California for evaluation.Up Next
Angels: Left-hander Kenny Rosenberg (0–0, 6.30 earned-run average) is scheduled to pitch Thursday against Oakland right-hander Ross Stripling when the teams open a four-game series in Anaheim, Calif.Mariners: Right-hander George Kirby (7–7, 3.20) is set to take the mound Friday in the opener of a three-game road series against the Chicago White Sox. Right-hander Drew Thorpe is Chicago’s scheduled starter.
