MATT SHOEMAKER pitched well in the Angels’ 6-4 win Thursday over the M’s (Flickr/Keith Allison photo).

By Pete Zarustica

A strong pitching start by Matt Shoemaker and a late rally at bat lifted the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to a 6-4 win over the Seattle Mariners Thursday night at Angel Stadium. It was their second win in three games and enabled them to split their four-game series with the M’s.

Shoemaker (7-13) worked seven innings, giving up five hits and two runs – both on solo home runs – and struck out five batters while walking two. The Angels (51-70) led 6-2 going into the ninth inning had had to put down a two-run rally by the Mariners (64-56) to secure the win.

Half of their six runs came in the three-inning eighth inning, Albert Pujols drove in two runs with a double and Jefry Marte added an RBI with a single. Pujols now has 95 runs batted in for the season.

Yunel Escobar continued his hot hitting with two singles and a double to rise his batting average to .320. Mike Trout was hitless, but walked and scored twice.

The Angels start a new series Friday hosting the New York Yankees in Anaheim.