Chris Taylor hadn’t done much at the plate since the Angels signed him nearly two weeks ago.
The 34-year-old veteran utilityman scuffled at the plate like he had when wearing Dodger blue — and joined the Angels at the front end of a five-game losing streak. Friday night at Angel Stadium, Taylor put together his best game so far — going two for three with a tying RBI double in his first multi-hit performance of the season (his first in the regular season since Sept. 28).
Taylor also scored the decisive run in the fifth inning on a single from Nolan Schanuel to lift the Angels to a 5-4 win over the Seattle Mariners.
Even Taylor’s one out was loud. In the bottom of the sixth, Seattle center fielder Julio Rodríguez robbed Taylor of a two-run home run to dead center field.
In his first plate appearance in the third, Taylor scored on a single from Zach Neto to tie the score 1-1.
The Angels put together one of their better performances at the plate. They combined for seven hits and struck out just seven times. With their third win in four games, the Angels (29-33) are three games back of second-place Seattle (32-30) and 5½ games behind AL West-leading Houston (35-28).
Catcher Travis d’Arnaud connected for a two-run home run in the fourth inning, his second of the season.
Kyle Hendricks didn’t have his best outing, giving up four runs on eight hits over six innings, but he did earn his 100th career win.
Ryan Zeferjahn and Reid Detmers pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth, respectively, and closer Kenley Jansen tossed a scoreless ninth for his 13th save. Detmers hasn’t given up a run — across eight appearances — since May 17.
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