Mariners to Angels fall in 14 innings

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Bobby Abreu homered in the 14th inning to lift the Los Angeles Angels to a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

Working his second inning of relief, Brian Sweeney (1-2) retired his first batter in the 14th before Abreu drove the next pitch to left-center for his 18th homer.

Rich Thompson (1-0), Los Angeles’ fifth reliever, tossed two perfect innings to get the victory.

Angels right-hander Jered Weaver handed a 3-1 lead to Fernando Rodney for the ninth, but Jose Lopez and former Angels first baseman Casey Kotchman hit consecutive one-out RBI doubles to tie it.

It was the fifth blown save opportunity in 13 chances this season for Rodney, who inherited the closer’s job after Brian Fuentes was traded to Minnesota on Aug. 27. Two nights earlier against Cleveland, Rodney gave up a tying RBI single to pinch-hitter Jayson Nix in the ninth before the Angels won it in the 16th.

The 30 innings in consecutive games tied an Angels franchise record, matching the mark set April 13-14, 1982, in Anaheim, when they beat the Mariners 4-3 in 20 and 2-1 in 10 to begin a seven-game winning streak.

Former Angels third baseman Chone Figgins, who shifted to second after signing a $36 million, four-year contract with Seattle in the offseason, made a spectacular play in the 10th to keep the game going.

Mike Napoli hit a grounder up the middle with runners at first and second, but Figgins backhanded the ball behind the bag and made a no-look backhanded flip with his glove to shortstop Josh Wilson, who completed the inning-ending double play.

Angels pinch-hitter Juan Rivera grounded into another inning-ending double play in the 12th with runners at first and second.