ANAHEIM Andrelton Simmons Jersey , Calif. (AP) —he years against the Los Angeles Angels.This season has been the best yet.The veteran slugger hit a three-run homer, Mike Leake pitched seven strong innings and the Seattle Mariners started a 10-game road trip with an 8-2 victory over the Angels on Thursday night.Cruz’s shot to center field off Neal Ramirez in the fourth was his eighth homer this season versus the Angels, the most by one player in a single year against the franchise, according to Baseball-Reference.“That ball was in the air forever,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “Nelson has always swung the bat good against them, for whatever reason. He sees the ball good in this ballpark. There’s really no ballpark that can hold him, but he sees real good pitches here.”The home run was also Cruz’s 50th against the Angels, which gave him the second-most for any player against the team. Alex Rodriguez hit 70.“I play a lot against them,” Cruz said. “So maybe that’s why.”Cruz, Mitch Haniger, Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager each had two of Seattle’s 12 hits.Los Angeles was eliminated from playoff contention.Leake (10-9) threw a season-high 114 pitches (80 strikes), allowing one run and four hits with a walk and five strikeouts. His only costly mistake came in the seventh when Justin Upton homered to left.After going 0-5 in July and August, Leake has won two straight starts for the first time since June 12. It was also the ninth time in 29 starts this season that the right-hander has gone seven innings or more.“It’s kind of nice to see. I had to work to get down in the zone a little bit more,” Leake said.Angels starter Odrisamer Despaigne (0-3) went only one-plus inning http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-yunel-escobar-jersey , allowing three runs and four hits while facing eight batters. He promptly gave up two runs in the first as the first three batters reached base. Haniger led off the game with a double and was driven in two batters later when Cano singled. A sacrifice fly by Ryon Healy scored Denard Span.“When you have a negative ball-strike ratio, you know things aren’t going your way,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.Haniger’s sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the second scored Ben Gamel and extended the lead to 3-0.The Mariners added two runs in the ninth. Seager’s single scored Cano, and Cruz came home on a bases-loaded walk.Upton had two hits and Mike Trout added a pair of doubles for the Angels.Los Angeles got a run in the ninth when Trout scored on Jose Fernandez’s fielder’s choice with the bases loaded.ANOTHER MILESTONETrout became the fifth player in major league history and the second in the American League with seven seasons of 60 extra-base hits or more by his age 26 season. He joined Rodriguez, Orlando Cepeda, Frank Robinson and Mel Ott. Trout is batting .375 (18 for 4 over his last 15 games with three home runs and eight RBIs.BULLPEN GAMESIt was the second time in three games that the Angels essentially resorted to a bullpen game. Tuesday’s was planned as eight pitchers combined on a two-hitter to beat Texas 1-0. Scioscia said Thursday that it’s likely he will have to go with another bullpen game next week.TRAINER’S ROOMMariners: SS Jean Segura missed his third straight game with a flu-like illness, according to Servais. Segura did take part in batting practice and could return to the lineup sometime this weekend. Left fielder Cameron Maybin was also out of the lineup for the second straight day due to illness.Angels: Tyler Skaggs threw a 48-pitch simulated game in Arizona. The left-hander has been on the disabled list since Aug. 12 due to a groin strain. Scioscia said Skaggs will return to Anaheim to determine his next step.UP NEXTMariners: With lefty James Paxton scratched due to pneumonia, Seattle had not announced a starter for Friday. Servais said it will be a bullpen game.Angels: Matt Shoemaker (2-0, 3.45 ERA) will make his first start at home since June 14, 2017. The right-hander has missed most of the season after injuring his right forearm on March 31 against Oakland. SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles have many jobs up for grabs, and nowhere is the competition less defined than in the infield.As the team held its first full-squad workout on Monday, only one infield position is secured — first base. Chris Davis is entering the fourth year of a seven-year, $161 million contract.Besides Davis Martin Maldonado Jersey , there are 13 players on the roster competing for the three starting positions, and a utility job or two.Davis, like the Orioles, had a horrid 2018 season. He hit just .168 with 16 home runs and 49 RBIs and 192 strikeouts in 128 games as Baltimore lost a franchise-record 115 games.There aren’t any clear favorites early on.The Orioles obtained Jonathan Villar in their July remake from Milwaukee and he played both second and shortstop over the season’s last two months. Villar was originally labeled as a shortstop by new general manager Mike Elias, but that was before Richie Martin was taken with the first overall pick in the Rule 5 draft.On Saturday, the Orioles signed veteran Alcides Escobar to a minor league deal. Escobar, who played 162 games in 2014, 2016 and 2017 for Kansas City, won the Gold Glove at shortstop in 2015. He’s not scheduled to report until Tuesday.Manager Brandon Hyde is pleased with the addition of Escobar.“I think it just creates the competition going in camp,” Hyde said. “Excited about the mix of middle infielders we have. It’s just a guy that’s been there that has nine-plus years playing defense in the middle of the field at the big league level. To add competition is always a good thing.”Baltimore has another Rule 5 pick in camp, Drew Jackson, who was from the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, and selected by Philadelphia. The Orioles immediately traded with the Phillies for Jackson.“We’re just all out here trying to win a job,” Martin said. “Whoever plays the best — simple as that — wins a job.”It’s no small group competing.The incumbent third baseman is Renato Nunez http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-j.-c.-ramirez-jersey , who was added to the team last July after shortstop Manny Machado was traded to the Dodgers.Nunez hit .275 with seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 60 games in the second half of the season. In his first major league acquisition, Elias claimed left-handed hitter Rio Ruiz on waivers to compete with Nunez at third base.Elias also claimed Hanser Alberto on waivers from Texas, and he inherited Steve Wilkerson, who can play multiple positions. Wilkerson jokingly said he brought 10 gloves to spring training, and he’ll likely compete for a utility job.“I get my work in at every position almost every day,” Wilkerson said. “I work on the abnormal plays and the web gems. One of my favorite things to do is dive for a ball and work on making a play that might get me on TV or something.”Non-roster infield candidates are Jace Peterson, who played 93 games at seven positions, including an inning on the mound, Chris Bostick, Jack Reinheimer and Zach Vincej, all of whom played in the majors last season.Rookie Ryan Mountcastle, who’s one of the team’s most highly touted prospects is also in camp. Mountcastle played third base for Double-A Bowie a year ago, and he’s not considered a candidate for a major league job yet.