ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Luis Rengifo hit a pair of home runs for the second time in three games, Livan Soto went deep for the first time and the Los Angeles Angels won their third in a row over the wild card-chasing Seattle Mariners, 5-1 on Sunday.
Seeking their first playoff appearance since 2001, the longest drought in the major leagues, the Mariners (80-64) saw their lead for the third and final AL wild card berth cut to four games over Baltimore (76-69).
Toronto (83-64) and Tampa Bay (82-64) hold the first two wild card spots.
Los Angeles won the season series from Seattle 10-8. The teams play again Monday.
After his first multihomer game on Friday, Rengifo has gone deep four times in the series and 15 times this season.
“I can’t believe it,” Rengifo said. “I don’t try to hit a homer, I just try to hit the ball and the ball is carrying. I’m so happy for that.”
He got his first career leadoff homer, a drive off Marco Gonzales (10-14), and broke a 1-1 tie in the third with a two-run drive that followed Soto’s single for his first big league hit.