David Freitas‘ toddler son was mimicking a home run trot outside the Mariners‘ clubhouse late Wednesday night
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A few hours earlier, Freitas hit his first major league home run on the way to catching a shutout for Seattle in a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
”If you look at my past career in the minor leagues, maybe six or seven years in the minor leagues to get my first call-up (in 2017), I came a long way since 2010,” said Freitas, who reached base three times for the first time in his career. ”It was a proud moment for me and especially since I had my mom, my wife and my son all here. They got to share this, too.”
Mariners starter Marco Gonzales (10-5) retired his first 10 batters and tossed seven sharp innings. He gave up just two hits and struck out four without issuing a walk.
”It seems like we face him every time we play the Mariners,” Angels star Mike Trout said. ”He just keeps you off balance. You can’t miss a pitch on him. He’s at the corners and you just can’t miss a pitch.”
Alex Colome pitched the eighth and All-Star closer Edwin Diaz worked a perfect ninth for his major league-leading 36th save.
As good as Gonzales was, he really enjoyed talking about Freitas afterward.
”That was really fun to see,” the left-hander said. ”Those who know him know that he’s an absolute phenomenal guy. I’m so happy for him to have some success and he has been great behind the plate.”
Freitas, who had been hitless in seven at-bats since being recalled July 5, went deep in the third against starter Jaime Barria. It was Freitas’ 32nd career game, 26 with the Mariners.
Barria (5-6) allowed three runs and five hits in five-plus innings with five strikeouts and no walks. The right-hander has lost his last five decisions, including the past two to Seattle.
The Mariners have won 11 of 15 overall. They improved to 27-18 on the road.
Seattle shortstop Jean Segura reached base twice after finding out Wednesday he won the online vote for the final AL All-Star spot. He doubled and was hit by a pitch on the left arm.
Los Angeles did not have a baserunner until the fourth, when Andrelton Simmons hit a comebacker off Gonzales’ left leg for a single. Trout followed with a single before Gonzales retired his next 11 batters.
The Angels are 7-17 in games started by an opposing left-handed pitcher, and their 78 runs scored against lefties are the second-fewest in baseball to the San Diego Padres’ 73.
”We’ve looked at everything and historically, we have some guys that are really, really dynamic hitters against left-handed pitching,” manager Mike Scioscia said. ”They just haven’t really gotten into a groove for whatever reason.”
After Freitas gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead in the third
DJ Chark Jersey , Segura doubled leading off the fourth and Mitch Haniger was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch from Barria put both runners in scoring position, and All-Star slugger Nelson Cruz delivered a two-run single for a 3-0 lead.
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As a precaution, Gonzales declined to take a seat between innings after he was hit in the back of the left leg by Simmons’ comebacker.
