Trout, Cron hit 2 HRs each, Angels beat Mariners 7-3

SEATTLE

Mike Trout continued his recent power surge and got a little unexpected long-ball help from C.J. Cron.

Trout and Cron each homered twice, Hector Santiago survived a shaky start, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 7-3 on Friday night.

Trout's three-run homer in the third inning off Mike Montgomery (4-3) erased a 1-0 deficit. He opened the seventh with another, tying him for the league lead at 26 with teammate Albert Pujols.

"He's had good numbers," Trout said of Montgomery. "Our approach is go out there and look for a pitch, look for a pitch over the middle of the plate and not try to miss it. We barreled up some balls, worked some good counts and we just came out with a `W'."

In his past 23 games since June 15, Trout is batting .346 with eight home runs, 17 RBIs and 19 runs scored.

Cron, who was twice sent to the minors this season, opened the fourth with his fourth home run and then hit the first pitch from reliever Danny Farquhar for a two-run shot in the sixth to make it 6-1.

"Sometimes you're not seeing the ball well and sometimes you are, so you've got really capitalize on the time when you're going well," said Cron, who is batting .448 since being recalled June 29. "And, I'm glad it's coming when we're winning some ball games."

Mark Trumbo hit a two-run homer for Seattle in the ninth off Vinnie Pestano, called up from Triple-A Salt Lake earlier in the day.

The Angels won for the sixth time in seven games to pull within a half-game of first-place Houston in the AL West. The Astros lost to Tampa Bay 3-1, their fourth straight defeat.

Santiago (6-4), who escaped the first inning allowing one run despite three hits, struck out seven and walked none in seven innings.

"Run support is always a plus," Santiago said. "You don't change your game plan, you just want to go out there and dominate. You don't want to look at the scoreboard. Your goal is to put up as many zeroes as you can."

Montgomery, who had allowed just one run in 23 2/3 innings in his last three starts, was tagged for five runs and eight hits in five innings.

"I really thought I threw the ball well," Montgomery said. "You really don't want to let certain guys beat you. Given that, the pitch to Trout really was a difference maker. If there is one guy you don't want to let beat you, it's him."

Trout put the Angels up 3-1 in the third with his 25th homer. Johnny Giavotella doubled with one out and Kole Calhoun was hit by a pitch. Trout then lined a 1-0 pitch deep over the wall in center field.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: Closer Huston Street, who injured his right groin on Wednesday, will not pitch again before the All-Star break, but will not be placed on the DL. "He feels even better today than he did yesterday," manager Mike Scioscia said. "We're going to let this thing play out through the All-Star (break) and then we'll have a decision. But right now, I think we want to keep in play the option that he's not sitting on the DL for a week when he's ready to go."

Mariners: CF Austin Jackson, who left Wednesday's game against Detroit with back spasms, said he's improving, but was waiting to see how he felt after swinging a bat before Friday night's game. "If it feels good in the cage, probably go out and try to take a round or two of BP," Jackson said. With the additional time off with the pending All-Star break, manager Lloyd McClendon said there was no need to rush Jackson back. "I won't unless he tells me tomorrow that he's feeling great, then I'll play him," McClendon said. "It has to be he's feeling great."

TROUT POWER: Trout has five consecutive seasons with at least 25 home runs. His previous high at the All-Star break was 22.

UP NEXT

Angels: LHP C.J. Wilson (7-6, 3.82 ERA) is 4-1 in his past five starts. In two starts against the Mariners this season, he has allowed two earned runs in 15 innings. Wilson has pitched at least six innings in eight of his past nine starts.

Mariners: RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (0-1, 7.17) will be making his second start since coming off the DL. Iwakuma, who had been on the DL since April 24 with a strained lat muscle, allowed five runs and eight hits, including four home runs, in five innings in his first start back on Monday, a 12-5 loss to Detroit.