CARSON, Calif. -- Zlatan Ibrahimovic took aim at those who compared him to Carlos Vela after the LA Galaxy star's hat trick settled El Trafico against his big rival on Friday.

Ibrahimovic claimed ahead of the match he was "by far" the better player between himself and Los Angeles FC's Vela.

And the 37-year-old backed up his words with actions by scoring the perfect hat trick -- right foot, left foot and a header -- to lead the Galaxy to a 3-2 win.

"Please do not offend me, I don't need to prove nothing, even if I don't score the goals today," Ibrahimovic told a postmatch news conference.

"I have a lot of respect for Vela, he's a good player, but you did one mistake, you compared him with me, that was your biggest mistake."

Vela opened the scoring early on before Ibrahimovic responded with three goals of his own. Vela's late strike took his tally to 21 for the season for MLS' leading scorer but it wasn't enough.

"I have my confidence and I believe in myself. People call it arrogant, I call it confidence. Ignorant people call it arrogant, intelligent people call it confidence," Ibrahimovic said.

"I have a bulletproof mind. When I go out there, I know what I'm able to prove -- and I do it good."

The victory cut LAFC's lead at the top of the Western Conference to nine points and Galaxy manager Guillermo Barros Schelotto was full of praise for his match-winner afterwards.

"He's wonderful. Not today, always," Schelotto said. "Today he was the best player on the field."

ESPN FC's Cesar Hernandez contributed to this report.

Brendon McCullum knows what it is to lose a World Cup final. In 2015, under McCullum's captaincy, New Zealand enjoyed a bumper run to the final, only to lose to Australia by seven wickets at the MCG. Four years later, New Zealand reached another World Cup final, this time at Lord's, and tied the game. The manic Super Over, the first in World Cups, ended in a tie as well, and England eventually won the title on boundary count.

McCullum's side had turned a rugby-mad country into a cricket-loving nation in 2015. Williamson's men have created similar impact now, and McCullum believes they will move on from the Lord's heartbreak.

"That's the thing and it's going to be so difficult for those guys," McCullum told stuff.co.nz. "I was lucky enough to have a beer with them in the changing room and they were pretty broken, that's for sure.

"They were also really proud of what they did and how well they played. Over the coming months and years, whilst it's still raw now, they'll understand just how magnificent that spectacle was. And for it to happen on the biggest of stages, to have played the hand that they played in that match is absolutely amazing."

McCullum looked back on the MCG final in 2015 and called it "a missed opportunity", but said he was pleased with the way how the team dealt with the result then and even now.

"Yes, it would've been lovely to have been a World Cup champion, but I've always said the game doesn't define you but it's the person and character you are," McCullum said. "I was so pleased with how our team handled that loss, also the success throughout that tournament. It's a bit different [but] I thought they've handled themselves magnificently in the aftermath of that result [at Lord's]."

A bizarre play in the last over of England's chase turned the final decisively. When Ben Stokes dived at the striker's end to complete a second run, he inadvertently deflected a throw from outfielder Martin Guptill to the third-man boundary. England were awarded six runs, and there were questions raised on the call made by the umpires at the time. McCullum, though, chose not to dwell on that play which had worked against New Zealand.

"I guess if you look at the rules, it may not have been the right call but it's just luck, that's how it works," he said. "There's nothing to say that if Ben Stokes was facing the last ball and he needed four off that rather than two, he wouldn't have struck that low full-toss out of the ground.

"I just don't think you can focus on those things. It's bitterly disappointing they didn't work out for us but we had our elements of luck throughout that World Cup too, which gave us a chance. Unfortunately on the day it didn't fall our way. I certainly don't blame anyone."

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland -- Jordan Spieth was finishing up a call and heading for the cart that would whisk him away from the course when a young worker stepped in and asked him to pose for a picture. Spieth put his arm around the boy's waist and gently moved him out of harm's way -- another cart was approaching quickly from the rear -- and then handed the phone to his agent, Jay Danzi, who took the side-by-side photo of the player and this really lucky fan.

Moments later that fan's luck ran out when he was chastised by a tournament superior for ignoring prior instructions and bothering a competitor at The Open.

The world-famous golfer was more willing than the kid's boss to cut the kid a break. Of course, very few people who have come in contact with Jordan Alexander Spieth would be terribly surprised by that.

Though Spieth might have lost some of his innocence over time with his tee-to-green struggles and rants -- some directed at himself, some at his caddie -- he still stands among the most agreeable and thoughtful players on tour. He is not yet 26 and already gets it. You can be a nice guy while still raging against Leo Durocher's claim that nice guys are destined to finish last.

As a competitor, Spieth's determination and grit have honored that of the legend he was named after -- Michael Jordan. He had no problem ripping the heart out of friend Matt Kuchar's chest during that 13th-hole passion play at Royal Birkdale two years ago; if necessary, Jordan, the old North Carolina Tar Heel, would have run Dean Smith's four-corner offense on Kuchar, too. Spieth did what he had to do to take the Claret Jug from Kuchar and make it his own.

That's why he should be considered a lethal threat over the next 36 holes at The Open despite his two-year victory drought, his almost comical weekend failures and his admission Friday that he still isn't hitting the ball worth a spit. Spieth's fire, and Spieth's faith, are his best friends as he moved into second-round contention following his 4-under 67.

His fire was obvious in becoming the youngest man to ever win the Masters and U.S. Open in the same year, and in claiming his third major title four days before his 24th birthday; Tiger Woods was six months older when he won his third. His faith was evident Friday when asked if his Birkdale muscle memory would help him Saturday and Sunday, even though he isn't hitting the ball anywhere close to where he hit it in 2017.

"Yeah, I think it's something very important to draw back on," Spieth answered. "I think I need to be looking at the positives of the history of this tournament, and my history in major championships, versus focusing on anything else.

"If I can walk tall knowing that there's very few people who have been in this situation contending in the weekend in majors as many times as I have, that's certainly a confidence boost for myself. So that's going to be the mentality."

It's the right mentality to have when the top of the leaderboard at Royal Portrush is populated by men the likes of Shane Lowry, J.B. Holmes, Tommy Fleetwood and Lee Westwood.

Men who have never won a major.

No question Spieth has serious hurdles to overcome if he's going to pull this off. The Texan who always put on a master class in putting on his way to the No. 1 world ranking for parts of 2015 and 2016 is now ranked 38th. Though Spieth is ranked 16th on tour in first-round scoring and second in second-round scoring, he has been stumbling across the weekend like a drunken sailor on shore leave. He is ranked 166th in third-round scoring (71.31) and 196th in fourth-round scoring (73.08). Spieth also walked into Royal Portrush ranked 189th in driving accuracy and 183rd in greens in regulation. Two rounds deep into this Open, he has hit only 39 percent of his fairways.

"At some point I hope to be playing off the short grass this week," Spieth said.

Asked what kind of progress he has made with his long game since missing the cut at the Travelers Championship last month, Spieth said, "Not much. I put in a lot of hours, but I think it's going to take maybe a couple of weeks to trust. I think I hit maybe two or three fairways [on Thursday]. I posted a score that was pretty incredible from where I played my second shots from."

Spieth somehow went birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie on a four-hole stretch on the front side Friday; he made a 25-footer from off the green for the eagle at the par-5 7th, and then a 20-footer for birdie on the next hole to punctuate the flurry.

"It was really the putter," Spieth said, "and just how I was attacking the holes."

It was also his firm belief in himself as a certified winner. Spieth has already built a Hall of Fame career before turning 26, shaped by 11 tour victories and a spirited run at the Grand Slam in 2015 that ended at St. Andrews, where he finished one shot out of a playoff.

"My game is in a different place than it was then," Spieth said. "And I'm working to get it back to where it was then. But anytime in an Open Championship that I'm in contention, I feel good about the potential of being able to make a run at it Saturday and Sunday."

He is a creative player who grew up shaping his ball in the Texas wind, threatening again in the major that requires more creativity and wind management than the other three. "I love links golf," Spieth said.

And links golf loves him back.

Does that mean Spieth will end his drought Sunday and reclaim his position among the two or three signature players of the post-Tiger generation?

No, not necessarily. But unlike the contenders ahead of him on the board, Spieth has proved he knows how to win this championship. If he doesn't have the game, especially off the tee, Spieth does have the faith and the fire.

That makes him a very dangerous man with two very dangerous clubs in his bag.

PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks fell into an early hole against a team ahead of them in the National League wild-card standings.

Once they cycled through the third inning, the hits kept coming.

Christian Walker hit a two-run homer to cap the first natural cycle by consecutive batters in Arizona's history, lifting the Diamondbacks to a 10-7 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.

"I was really pleased with the way we swung the bats tonight," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "We fell behind early and kept plowing away. We had the six-run inning and kept tacking on."

Milwaukee won the opener 5-1 after scoring three runs in the eighth inning Thursday night.

The Diamondbacks broke open the second game with six runs in the third inning against Jhoulys Chacin (3-10), punctuated by hitting a single, double, triple and home run in four straight at-bats.

Arizona's Eduardo Escobar homered and had a run-scoring triple, and All-Star Ketel Marte had two RBIs to reach a career-high 60.

Archie Bradley (3-4) gave up a hit in 1 1/3 innings, and Greg Holland worked a perfect ninth for his 16th save.

Arizona moved to within a game of the final NL wild-card spot after its seventh win in 10 games.

"We're feeling good, we're playing well," Marte said. "We feel like we have what it takes to make the playoffs."

Christian Yelich hit a two-run homer, his majors-leading 35th, and Lorenzo Cain hit a solo shot for the Brewers. Milwaukee led 3-1 early and scored three runs in the seventh inning to pull to within 10-7 but couldn't make up the deficit after the third.

"Offensively we did a nice job, put pressure on them," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "It just wasn't enough."

Chacin was sharp his last start in a no-decision against San Francisco, giving up an earned run and four hits in five innings.

He was not so sharp against the Diamondbacks.

Nick Ahmed hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning before Arizona went up 7-3 in the third.

Marte followed Jarrod Dyson's one-out single with his second double to score Dyson. Escobar then lined a run-scoring triple and Walker followed with a two-run homer to left.

Arizona scored two more runs after Chacin was lifted and second baseman Keston Hiura botched a potential double play for an error.

Chacin gave up seven runs -- six earned -- and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings to remain winless in 11 straight starts since April 30.

"I haven't done anything to keep me in the rotation," Chacin said.

CLARKE'S NIGHT

Arizona's Taylor Clarke (back) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list to start against the Brewers.

The right-hander was hit hard early.

Hiura lined a two-run single in the second inning and Cain led off the third with his seventh homer to put Milwaukee up 3-1.

Clarke gave up four runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.

"Just a few of those counts of falling behind and not really making a quality pitch," he said.

MARTE EJECTED

Marte was ejected in the seventh inning -- after swinging through a pitch on a strikeout.

Marte questioned a previous strike call by plate umpire Sam Holbrook, then slammed his bat and helmet to the ground after missing Burch Smith's third strike. Holbrook sent Marte off right after his helmet hit the dirt.

"I felt it was unfair because I didn't say anything to him," Marte said through an interpreter after his second career ejection. "Maybe the helmet landed a little too close to him, but I really didn't say anything to warrant what happened."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson (elbow) is slated to make a rehab start for Class-A Wisconsin on Sunday.

Diamondbacks: Dyson was back in the lineup after missing Thursday's game because of a hamstring cramp. ... RHP Jon Duplantier (shoulder) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Reno. INF Domingo Leyba also was sent to Reno.

UP NEXT

Brewers: LHP Gio Gonzalez is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list (left arm fatigue) to start against Arizona on Saturday. He made rehab starts with Class A Carolina and Triple-A San Antonio after going on the injured list May 29.

Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke needs six strikeouts against the Brewers on Saturday to tie Tim Keefe (2,555) for 31st and seven to tie Jerry Koosman (2,556) for 30th on the career strikeouts list.

European champion feels in shape to make an assault on her 3:55 British 1500m record in London

Laura Muir believes she’s not far from being in her best-ever shape, with an assault on her own British 1500m record a distinct possibility for this weekend’s Müller Anniversary Games in London.

The European champion ran an 800m PB of 1:58.42 in Monaco just over a week ago and her three 1500m races so far this season have produced times of 4:05.37 for a win in Stockholm, 3:59.47 for second in Stanford and 3:56.73 to place runner-up in Rome for her second fastest ever time.

Now she feels in the sort of form which could see that national record of 3:55.22 fall further.

“I feel like I’m probably in PB shape, I’m almost in the best shape I’ve ever been in,” she says. “I ran an 800m PB last week so I certainly feel like I’m in my PB shape of 3:55, it’s just whether all the boxes on the day can be ticked and that kind of time can come off.

“I’m really looking forward to getting out there. Hopefully we can run some fast times.”

“I feel like I’m almost in the best shape I’ve ever been in…”@lauramuiruns on how she’s feeling good ahead of tomorrow’s @London_DL 1500m. @scotathletics pic.twitter.com/1qjXXF8iky

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) July 19, 2019

In Saturday’s race, Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen could be a threat following her recent breakthrough over 3000m, while the field also features Morocco’s Shanghai Diamond League winner Rababe Arafi, Ethiopia’s Axumawit Embaye, Kenya’s Winny Chebet, Ireland’s Ciara Mageean and Muir’s training partners Gabriela DeBues-Stafford of Canada and double European under-23 champion Jemma Reekie, plus another fellow Brit, the in-form Sarah McDonald.

World and Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon had also been due to race but was a late withdrawal due to an adductor injury.

“I just want to go out there and run a really good, hard, fast race,” says Muir. “Ultimately, I’d love to win and if I can do that, I’m sure a quick time will follow.”

Asked whether she feels like she is putting herself under pressure by saying that she is in top shape, she replies: “I don’t feel like I’m putting myself under pressure because I genuinely believe it’s true.

“My training these past couple of weeks has been very good. I’m very confident with where I’m at in terms of my fitness. I know I can go out there and run well.

“I never go into a race with just one plan – I’ll have plans A, B, C and D. Hopefully plan A will go ahead. But in the 1500m you’re not always entirely sure what’s going to happen so I’ll have a few ideas in my mind.”

British sprint record-holder hopes to translate her European success to world and Olympic level

Dina Asher-Smith says she has been embracing the expectation that comes with being a triple European champion and last summer’s world-leading sprinter, using people’s energy to help create confidence.

The 23-year-old improved her own British 100m and 200m records to 10.85 and 21.89 when winning her continental titles in Berlin last year, completing the treble with 4x100m gold.

Those times put her top of the global rankings during a season in which she also earned gold and bronze at the Commonwealth Games.

Now her focus is on translating that to world and Olympic level, as she works toward the championships in Doha this autumn and the Tokyo Games.

Asked if she feels the expectations of others, she replies: “Yes, I do, but I don’t think I take it in a bad way. Some people would get really overwhelmed but for me, I think it’s nice in all honesty for them to think that I can go on to do great things.

“I’ve actually used some of their expectations to give me more confidence as well, because sometimes I do tell myself, ‘you can’t, you can’t’, when really I should be thinking, ‘I can’. So I have taken some of other people’s energy and put it into myself as well.”

She also has her own high standards.

“I think it’s been quite easy for me because I’m always quite realistic with myself,” she says. “Since the Europeans I’ve been saying, ‘It’s the Europeans, guys. Like it’s really good and I’m really happy with how I’m performing, but it is the Europeans’. Worlds, Olympics and Europeans are completely different competitions.

“At the same time, I want to do well. I have high standards for myself. Those are not necessarily unattainable. So I wouldn’t necessarily call it pressure. It’s more holding myself to high standards but at the same time being realistic and making sure that when I step on the track I can do my personal best.”

That’s again the aim this weekend, when she forms part of a top 100m line-up at the Müller Anniversary Games.

Among her rivals in the Diamond League event, which includes heats before the final on Sunday, are double Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, world indoor champion Murielle Ahouré, double world medallist Marie-Josée Ta Lou, world 200m champion Dafne Schippers and her fellow Brits Asha Philip, Daryll Neita, Rachel Miller, Imani-Lara Lansiquot and Kristal Awuah.

“Doing well against these talented women would always be fantastic but I never have the mentality of having to prove myself,” says Asher-Smith on whether it is important to put down a marker ahead of Doha.

“I just don’t go into races like that. I know that come the World Championships, hopefully I’ll be in fantastic shape and the work I’ve done will put me in good stead there. But I never really feel like at any given moment you have to prove something.

“Everybody’s at different stages with their preparation. It is a long season. I’ll be peaking for my trials at the end of August.”

At the trials, Asher-Smith intends to contest the 100m with the aim of doubling up in the 100m and 200m at the World Championships. With that in mind, the Europeans provided important experience.

“I’d never done it before (the 100m and 200m double) apart from maybe AAAs when I was under-17 or under-20,” she says. “It’s a change doing it internationally and I think last year was the first time I had done a senior 100m internationally as well so I’m always learning, I’m always pushing on to bigger things.”

She adds: “It’s all well and great doing well at Europeans but you have to be able to translate it to a world level. And the next year you have to translate things to an Olympic level.

“For me, it’s making sure that I’m improving myself, being the best athlete I can be and I’m leaving no stone unturned in time for the World Championships, so I can go there and put my best foot forward in earnest.”

CARSON, Calif. -- Zlatan Ibrahimovic backed up his pre-match talk with a hat trick as the LA Galaxy beat LAFC 3-2 in a riveting end-to-end El Trafico derby here on Friday night.

Prior to the game, Ibrahimovic said he still believed he was the best player in MLS by far over LAFC's Carlos Vela -- even though the latter leads the league in goals scored.

Following the match, Ibrahimovic said: "I think the [best player talk] motivated them more, because I'm always motivated. I always go in to [every game] to do my best and to help my teammates. Today the outcome was good and we won the game."

It didn't take long for the fireworks to start, as a poor giveaway from the Galaxy's Favio Alvarez allowed Adama Diomande to play Vela into the area and he was hauled down by David Bingham with the referee pointing right to the spot.

Vela sent Bingham the wrong way with his penalty kick, but the hosts were level soon after thanks to an incredible individual effort from Ibrahimovic, who beat his defender with his first touch and smashed home a volley from 18 yards out.

LAFC's Tyler Miller kept the score level at the 30-minute mark with an impressive fingertip save from Rolf Feltscher's bullet header after some neat build-up play from the Galaxy and the teams went into the break locked in a 1-1 draw after a thrilling first half.

"When you play against a rival like that, with a full stadium, the atmosphere is nice," Ibrahimovic said. "I get pumped, I get adrenaline. This is considered to be the biggest game in the league, so the biggest job is to show up in the biggest game."

And show up he did in the second half, as Ibra struck again 11 minutes after the restart, out-jumping Jordan Harvey and heading in the go-ahead goal from Diego Polenta's perfectly placed back-post cross.

The former Sweden international produced another moment of brilliance in the 70th minute, picking up a nice flicked-on heel pass from Alvarez, cutting to his left and blasting a shot past Miller to complete his hat trick and put the game away for the Galaxy.

"I mean in the U.S. the regular season is not important, according to everybody, only the playoffs," he said. "And then when the playoffs come I have to put in playoff mode, but the difference with me and them is that I have playoff mode every day."

Vela added another goal in second-half stoppage time to take his league-leading goals total to 21. However, it was too little too late for the visiting side as the Galaxy saw out the result to go back into second place ahead of the Seattle Sounders, but still nine points behind Western Conference leading LAFC.

West Indies A 298 for 9 (Chase 84, Thomas 70, Khaleel 4-67, Avesh 3-62) beat India A (Axar 81*, Washington 45, Powell 2-47) by five runs

After losing the first three games and conceding the series to India A, West Indies A pulled one back, overcoming a late assault from Axar Patel to edge the visitors in the fourth one-dayer in Coolidge.

India A were 160 for 6 in pursuit of 299, when Axar joined fellow fingerspin-bowling allrounder Washington Sundar. After putting on a 60-run partnership with Washington, Axar marshalled the tail, pushing his case for selection in India's senior side. However, Khaleel Ahmed and Navdeep Saini fell in a space of three balls towards the close as West Indies snuck in a five-run victory. Axar remained unbeaten on 81 off 63 balls, including eight fours and a six.

It was Roston Chase who had made the highest score of the game, 84 off 100 balls, setting the platform for West Indies' tall total after they had been asked to bat. Wicketkeeper-batsman Devon Thomas and No.5 Jonathan Carter supported him with half-centuries of their own. Sunil Ambris, who was a late addition to West Indies' World Cup squad, got another start, but fell four short of a fifty. At 254 for 3, West Indies were eyeing a taller total, but they lost 6 for 44 to be restricted to 298 for 9. Left-arm quick Khaleel continued his fine form, returning 4 for 67 while Avesh Khan took 3 for 62.

India A then lost their openers Anmolpreet Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad within seven overs in the chase, and the slide seeped into the middle order as well. Left-arm spinner Khary Pierre and offspinner Chase claimed combined figures of 10-0-83-2 to shackle India A's middle order. Axar and Washington then launched a late fightback with the lower order, but they fell just short. Seam-bowling allrounders Keemo Paul and Rovman Powell claimed two wickets each for the hosts.

The fifth and final one-dayer will be played at the same venue on July 21.

SEATTLE -- Mike Leake of the Seattle Mariners lost his bid for a perfect game on a leadoff single in the ninth inning by rookie Luis Rengifo, then finished off the Los Angeles Angels for a 10-0 win Friday night.

A week after the worst start of his career, Leake almost achieved baseball immortality.

The Angels hadn't come close to a hit and Leake hadn't gone to a three-ball count before Rengifo grounded a clean hit to right field on Leake's 79th pitch.

The fans gave Leake a standing ovation and he quickly waved to acknowledge their cheers.

After a walk, Leake (8-8) retired the next three batters for a one-hitter, striking out Mike Trout on a full-count pitch to end it. Leake fanned six overall and walked one.

Between innings, especially as the game went later and later, the bearded, 31-year-old righty sat alone on the Mariners' bench.

"The sixth, seventh, I started to feel it a little bit," he said. "It was a cool experience -- too bad we didn't get it."

Leake's second career shutout came exactly a week after he was tagged by the Angels in his previous start, giving up seven runs on eight hits and a walk while getting just two outs. The Angels pitched a combined no-hitter that night in Anaheim while the entire club wore jerseys honoring late teammate Tyler Skaggs.

Leake improved to 101-95 in 10 seasons. This was his sixth career complete game, and second this year, in 284 starts.

There have been 23 perfect games in major league history, the most recent by Felix Hernandez of the Mariners in 2012.

Daniel Vogelbach hit two homers and drove in six runs as Seattle stopped a six-game losing streak.

Jaime Barria (3-3) lost in relief.

Leake kept the Angels off the bases with a fastball that was right around 88 mph, along with a cutter, changeup and curve.

"I was going after guys. I wasn't going to walk a guy. I was throwing it on the plate and letting them hit it to one of our fielders or late in the count trying to put them away," he said.

Leake was flawless until Rengifo hit a bouncer that split the first baseman and second baseman. Leake then walked Kevan Smith.

Leake was in complete control from the start and overcame a delay of a few minutes in the top of the fifth when a malfunctioning scoreboard stopped play with a strikeout of Andrelton Simmons.

Seattle's previous no-hitter was thrown by James Paxton against Toronto last September.

The Mariners hadn't won since before the All-Star break, a stretch that included their no-hitter loss in L.A., and had lost 13 of their past 15.

Vogelbach made it 3-0 with a homer in the fourth. He hit his 23rd home run in the fifth.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: Albert Pujols sat out Friday's game as a precaution. The first baseman came out of Thursday night's game against the Astros with left hamstring tightness. Manager Brad Ausmus said the hope is Pujols will be ready for Saturday's game against the Mariners. ... Reliever Keynan Middleton's rehab assignment at Triple-A Salt Lake City has been shut down due to numbness and tingling in his pitching arm. Ausmus said a test showed that Middleton's grafted ulnar collateral ligament remains attached. There's no timetable for his return.

Mariners: Closer Hunter Strickland will begin a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday in his return from a right lat strain that has kept him out since March. Seattle manager Scott Servais said Strickland will need to make three or four appearances in Tacoma to regain his endurance before returning to the major league roster. But he can't get into the lineup soon enough with Seattle's struggles in the bullpen. ... Center fielder Mallex Smith left the game after the fifth inning with a sore right thumb that he injured in the game.

UP NEXT

Angels: RHP Griffin Canning (3-5, 4.74 ERA) will make his first career start against the Mariners.

Mariners: Seattle will send someone to the mound for an inning before turning it over to LHP Wade LeBlanc (5-3, 5.15 ERA).