Angels 11, Mariners 3
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Angels used a seven-run sixth inning to break open a tight game and cruise to an 11-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night at Angel Stadium.
The Angels banged out a season-high 21 hits, including four each from Albert Pujols and Alberto Callaspo, and three from Peter Bourjos.
Los Angeles left-hander Jason Vargas (6-4) gave up two runs, four hits and a walk in seven innings, striking out a season-high nine batters.
Josh Hamilton had two hits, including his 10th home run of the season, but he was a non-factor in the fateful sixth. In fact, Hamilton struck out twice in the inning, though it hardly mattered.
The Angels sent 12 men to the plate in the rally, getting six hits and two walks. Bourjos was 2-for-2 with a run and a stolen base in the inning.
Every Angels batter in the starting lineup had at least one hit, with 12 of the hits coming off Mariners starter Aaron Harang (3-7). Harang was finished after allowing four runs in five innings, so he wasn't to blame for the Angels' big sixth.
Mariners relievers Carter Capps and Charlie Furbush got knocked around in the inning, and they were hurt by second baseman Nick Franklin's throwing error.
The win pushed the Angels (31-39) ahead of the Mariners (31-40) and into third place in the AL West.
The Angels jumped out to a 4-0 lead off Harang by scoring one run in the first and three more in the second.
Hamilton was key to both innings. He had a one-out single in the first inning and scored on Howie Kendrick's two-out double.
In the second inning, the Angels had already scored one run on Mike Trout's sacrifice fly when Hamilton hammered a pitch from Harang over the center field fence for a two-run homer and a 4-0 lead. Mariners center fielder Michael Saunders nearly made a highlight-reel catch on the blast, but the ball glanced off the tip of his glove.
The Mariners got two runs back in the third inning against Vargas, getting a two-out single by Endy Chavez followed by Franklin's two-run homer.
NOTES: Bourjos is hitting .400 (10-for-25) since coming off the disabled list. He missed 38 games with a strained left hamstring suffered during the Angels' 19-inning game against Oakland. ... Angels RHP Ryan Madson might begin throwing off the mound this weekend or early next week. Madson has endured numerous setbacks and has been slow to recover since undergoing Tommy John surgery 14 months ago. ... Mariners 1B Justin Smoak played his fifth game during a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Monday. Smoak, who is recovering from strained oblique muscle, might return later this week. ... Mariners OF Jason Bay was not in the starting lineup because of a sore hamstring, which tightened up on him in Sunday's game in Oakland. Bay normally starts against lefties, and the Angels had Vargas pitching. OF Raul Ibanez started in Bay's place and went 2-for-4.
