MIKE TROUT homered but the Angels lost 11-8 to the Mariners Friday night to snap a six-game winning streak (Flickr/Keith Allison)

By Pete Zarustica

Friday’s loss to the Seattle Mariners is best thought of as a sandwich. Tasty on the outside, but with a lot of baloney in the middle. The Los Angeles Angels scored four runs in the first inning and four in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough to keep the M’s from winning 11-8 at Safeco Field.

After falling behind 4-0 in the first inning, the Mariners retaliated with nine runs in the ninth, a big enough margin to withstand the Halos’ late rally. Angel starter Brett Oberholtzer (3-3) lasted just one full inning, and was tagged for a total of three hits and five runs. He walked three batters and struck out two.

“Tough start. You know, we spotted him four runs and he walks the first hitter and just never really got his command,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of Oberholtzer. “Wasn’t able to establish anything, behind in a lot of counts and gave up three hits and three walks in one-plus inning. Obviously, it’s not the start that we were looking for or he was looking for.”

Jhoulys Chacin didn’t do much better, going four innings and giving up seven hits and five runs. He struck out five batters but walked three.

The Angels built most of their early lead on a three-run home run by Mike Trout, sowing no ill effects of a traffic accident the day before in Tustin. The ninth inning rally included RBI singles by Kole Calhoun and Kaleb Cowart and a double by Juan Graterol. It was helped by a Mariner error and a walk.

As usual Trout spent the most time on the base paths. In addition to his homer, he walked twice. Calhoun was the only Angel with more than one hit, going 2-for-5 and scoring a run.

The loss dropped the Angels to 59-75, and snapped a five-game winning streak. They remain in fourth place in the American League West. The series with the third-place Mariners (69-65) continues Sunday with Tyler Skaggs (2-3) getting the start for the Orange County team.