The Seattle Mariners benefited from an error that led to five unearned runs in the first inning and cruised to a 9-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels Friday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Julio Rodriguez reached base four times with a home run and three walks, and Victor Robles had three hits from the No. 9 spot, but an error by Angels shortstop Zach Neto in the first inning sparked the Mariners’ win.
Angels starter Samuel Aldegheri made history when he threw the first pitch of the game in the top of the first inning, becoming the first pitcher born and raised in Italy to pitch in a major league game.
It quickly went south for the 22-year-old left-hander, who was acquired by the Angels just before the trade deadline in a deal that sent closer Carlos Estevez to the Philadelphia Phillies. It wasn’t all Aldegheri’s fault, however. He retired two of the first three Mariners batters of the game, sandwiched around a walk to Rodiguez.
After a double by Randy Arozarena sent Rodriguez to third, Aldegheri (0-1) got Jorge Polanco to hit a grounder to Neto.
But instead of the third out of the inning, a fielding error by Neto allowed Polanco to reach base as both Rodriguez and Arozarena scored. The Mariners went on to score three more runs in the inning, all five runs being unearned.
Aldegheri struck out Rodriguez to end the inning, then retired the Mariners in order in the second and third innings. But in the fourth, J.P. Crawford reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a two-run homer by Rodriguez, pushing the Mariners’ lead to 7-2.
Mariners starter George Kirby (10-10) was far from his best, but managed to hold the lead. Kirby gave up five runs on five hits and one walk in 5 2/3 innings. Three of the hits he allowed were home runs, but all three came with the bases empty.
Taylor Ward homered in the first inning, and Mickey Moniak and Brandon Drury went back-to-back to begin the fifth. The Angels also got a sacrifice fly from Nolan Schanuel in the first inning and an RBI single from Drury in the sixth.
