Peter Bourjos Helps End Angels Losing Streak Against Seattle

After three innings of lukewarm pitching nearly giving up a few home runs, Ervin Santana's slider and fastball really began to flow in the first game against the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.

A scoreless game, surprising to few after nearly 30 scoreless Angels innings, credited to another night of lackluster hitting by both teams.

It took the dynamic spark of Peter Bourjos to break the tie game with his second major league home run. A Bobby Abreu solo shot, his sixteenth of the season, added on for the Angels who finally found a drop in a dry bucket.

Then suddenly the Angels were back to June greatness as Hideki Matsui added the third home run (#17) of the inning.  With a 4-0 lead, the Angels carried their first lead in a week to the bottom of the sixth inning.

A balk awarded the fifth run for the Angels by Mariners' reliever White to take a 5-2 lead in the 8th inning.  No threat for Seattle as broken bats fell silent moving to the final frame.

Jeff Mathis, 3 for his last 34, struck out in the top of the ninth.  Bourjos followed with two hits and a hit by pitch at that point, but popped out to Ichiro.  

The Mariners came up to bat in the bottom of the ninth.  Closer Fernando Rodney began by walking first baseman Casey Kotchman.  Gutierrez smacked a ball past Peter Bourjos but failed to reach second, after not realizing Kotchman would hold up running, credit Juan Rivera for the throw.

The ballgame ended on a deep fly out to center to snap a three game losing streak 5-3.  Overall Angels record is 64-68, and the Angels remain 10 1/2 games behind the Texas Rangers, but pick up a full game on the Oakland A's.