Angels take series opener from Mariners behind Anderson, Adell

Starter Tyler Anderson delivered promising work on the mound, while Jo Adell came through in the clutch to lift the Angels to a 3-1 victory over the Mariners on Monday night at T-Mobile Park. 

Anderson (8-8) made his first start of the second half, looking to carry on the success that helped earn him an All-Star nod. The lefty was very effective, pitching lights out after allowing two of his three hits in the first inning. 

He was lifted after 5 2/3 innings, using 96 pitches (62 strikes) to strike out eight and walk just one. Monday's start was his fourth consecutive with 92 or more pitches.

On the hitting side, the Angels could not generate any action until the eighth inning. Despite not recording a hit in the frame, they took advantage of two walks and a sacrifice fly to even the score at one. In the ninth, Jo Adell broke the tie with a huge two-out single to give Los Angeles the lead. In the bottom half of the frame, Carlos Estevez would shut the doors to seal the win.

The Angels are 43-47 and 4-4 against the Mariners this season. After starting 0-4 against Seattle earlier in the year, they have responded nicely against their division rivals. They remain five games behind the Rangers (48-52) for third place in the AL West.

Anderson keeps rolling

Anderson continued what has been a bounce-back month of July, helping to erase an ERA of 4.15 across six starts in June. 

He didn't start in smooth fashion, needing to navigate around trouble in the bottom of the first inning. The 34-year-old started his day by hitting J.P. Crawford and allowing an infield single to Victor Robles. Two batters later, Cal Raleigh would single into center to quickly get Seattle on the board with the early lead. He would finish off the inning impressively, however, striking out the next two batters to end the frame and get out of trouble.

Anderson then retired the next 12 consecutive batters, getting on a nice roll to cruise through the first five innings.

He would eventually be removed with two outs in the sixth after allowing a walk to Cal Raleigh (his only walk of the game). It was nonetheless an excellent start for Anderson, who has now recorded eight or more strikeouts in two of his last three starts. He allowed just one earned run on Monday, helping to lower his season ERA to 2.91. 

Unfortunately, the Angels' offense could not do enough early on to help him earn a decision. Anderson leads all Los Angeles starters in ERA and continues to be a force at the top of their rotation. With the trade deadline quickly approaching, he will certainly be a hot topic as contenders survey the starting pitching market.

Adell breaks through

After a very disheartening first seven innings of offense for the Angels' lineup, things were not looking great. They had recorded just three hits and found themselves in a 1-0 hole as they headed to the eighth.

Thanks to a pair of walks, a double steal, and a Taylor Ward sacrifice fly, the squad was finally able to get on the board and even the score.

In the ninth, they managed to keep their momentum rolling and break through for the lead. Logan O'Hoppe and Mickey Moniak failed to reach base to start the inning, leaving Los Angeles in a tough situation. However, Brandon Drury and Zach Neto both drew walks against Mariners' reliever Trent Thorton to keep the frame alive. 

The next batter, Jo Adell, delivered the big hit to score both Neto and Drury thanks to a throwing error from Victor Robles.

It was Adell's only hit of the game, as well as the only hit from the 4-9 spots in the lineup. It was a huge moment for the nine-hitter in the lineup, as he came through despite what has been a rough season. Despite hitting just .199, things have gotten better in July. The 25-year-old is hitting .260 this month and has contributed two homers and 10 RBI. 

It's his best month since April, where he hit .327. His clutch single was the fourth and final hit of the game for Los Angeles, which found a way to get it done despite a lack of hitting frequency.

Another save for Estevez

Carlos Estevez provided yet another save, continuing his run as one of the most dominant closers in baseball this season. The 31-year-old took the mound in the bottom of the ninth with a 3-1 lead and came through with a 1-2-3 inning to seal the deal. He capped of the night by striking out Dylan Moore, earning his fifth strikeout of the month.

Across his last 18 games, Esteves has proven to be virtually unhittable. He has worked a 0.52 ERA in that time frame and has not allowed a run to score since May 20. He is 12/12 in save opportunities across his last 18 appearances, bringing his save total to 19. He holds the sixth-most in the American League as well as the 12th-most in baseball. 

It was a great night for the bullpen as a whole, which allowed no runs and just one hit across 3 1/3 innings of work. 

Manager Ron Washington spoke on the dominant that his closer is currently on following the game. 

"It's been awesome because when you bring in your closer you want to see him throw strikes," he said. "That's one thing he's been doing. He's been throwing strikes with all his pitches...he just hasn't been making many mistakes and that's what you want to see when your closer comes in."

Estevez, another Angels player who has been circulating in trade rumors, continues to provide an electric boost out of the bullpen. Washington and the rest of the squad can certainly feel good each and every night knowing that they can rely on Estevez to shut the game down for the team and secure wins.

The Angels and Mariners will meet for the second game of the series at 6:40 p.m. Tuesday. Los Angeles right-hander Jose Soriano (5-7, 3.71 ERA) will face Seattle left-hander Logan Gilbert (6-5, 2.79 ERA).