Something about the big moments brings out the best in Mitch Haniger.

His two-run home run in the ninth on Wednesday http://www.newyorkgiantsteamonline.com/saquon-barkley-jersey , after a stellar defensive play in the top of the inning, gave the Seattle Mariners an 8-6 victory and sweep of the three-game series over the Los Angeles Angels.

”We have such a powerful lineup,” Haniger said. ”On any given night it can be somebody else and that’s kind of the vibe. There’s no panic.”

Haniger, who has 16 home runs this season and 52 RBIs, has an MLB-best 11 game-winning hits – including his second game-ending homer on Wednesday.

After Jean Segura singled to center off reliever Oliver Drake (0-1), Haniger sent a pitch over the left-field wall off to end it.

Nelson Cruz and Ryon Healy also homered for Seattle, and Healy’s upper-deck shot in the eighth inning tied the game at 6-6. Cruz hit a two-run homer in the second inning, his fourth in his last five games and 16th of the season.

The home run by Haniger, who was 2-for-5 and scored two runs, was his second big play of the ninth inning. He also made an outstanding defensive play in right field for the second consecutive game.

With one out and a runner at first, Martin Maldonado hit fly ball to deep right that was tailing away from Haniger. However, he raced to make the catch before throwing it on the fly to Healy in the infield. Healy ran to first to double off Jabari Blash Devin Hester Bears Jersey , who was pinch running for Albert Pujols.

The Mariners have won six of their last seven games and 11 of their last 13. Roenis Elias (2-0) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief, and Seattle starter Marco Gonzales allowed seven hits and three runs in five innings.

Wednesday’s game had plenty of drama – including two times when the game was tied and two lead changes.

”I don’t know where to start with this game,” said Seattle manager Scott Servais. ”It had a little bit of everything in it.”

Seattle built a 4-1 lead in the third inning and led 4-3 before the Angels came back to tie it in sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Luis Valbuena. Home runs by Nolan Fontana and Chris Young gave the Angels a 6-4 lead in the seventh.

The Angels had won six consecutive games before coming to Seattle.

”It says a lot the way our guys came back,” Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. ”But unfortunately it was one of those days when our bullpen was stretched a bit after having to use them a lot, and we couldn’t get it done at the end.”

INJURED ANGELS

Angels starting pitcher Garrett Richards left the game after two innings because of tightness in his left hamstring. Shortstop Zack Cozart left the game in the fourth inning because of a left shoulder strain.

SEAGER SCRATCHED

Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager was a late scratch from the starting lineup Wednesday, but he is not injured. Mariners officials said it was a personal issue, and Andrew Romine started at third in his place.

SERVAIS’ NEW LOOK

Before the season started, Servais said he would get a haircut just like Edwin Diaz if the closer reached 50 saves this season. Diaz, who has a Z-like symbol shaved into the left side of his head, already has an MLB-best 25 saves this season and is on pace to reach 55 saves. ”I’m aware,” Servais said. ”I’m already talking to barbers. I’m OK with that.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: OF Kole Calhoun (oblique strain) started a rehab assignment at Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday.

Mariners: RHP Nick Vincent (groin strain) and RHP Juan Nicasio (knee swelling) both are expected to throw in the bullpen Friday on Saturday. Servais said he hopes both relievers can come of the 10-day DL by the middle up the upcoming 10-day road trip that starts in New York against the Yankees on June 19.

UP NEXT

Angels: LHP Tyler Skaggs (5-4, 3.08) tries to continue his June hot streak when the Angels play the Athletics on Friday in Oakland. Skaggs is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in his previous two starts this month. Trevor Cahill (1-2 Joe Montana Jersey Youth , 2.27) is expected to start for Oakland.

Mariners: Felix Hernandez (6-5, 5.70) is on the mound to start a four-game home series against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. Hernandez is coming off his shortest outing of the season when he took the loss at Tampa Bay, allowing five earned runs on seven hits in the 7-3 loss. David Price (7-4, 4.00) is the expected starter for Boston.

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The Golden State Warriors, so used to making things look easy, overcame one of their toughest tests to return to the NBA Finals.

They climbed out of huge holes in the last two games of the Western Conference finals to beat Houston, but may have to play in the first half the way they have after halftime if they hope to knock off LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers and repeat as champions.

”They played a great series, they made us work for everything … I’m just proud of the way we battled,” Klay Thompson said. ”We’ve been through a lot with this team, and believe it or not, it’s not all success with the Warriors.”

”We’ve got our bumps throughout the season,” he continued. ”But to get to this point again Josh Gordon Jersey Elite , we earned it.”

Without Andre Iguodala again, the Warriors shook off another terrible first half in Game 7 on Monday night to rally for a 101-92 victory that made them the fifth team in NBA history to advance to the finals in four straight seasons.

Golden State trailed by 11 at halftime after being behind at the break by 10 points in Game 6, becoming the first team to win multiple elimination games in the same series when trailing by double digits after two quarters.

Coach Steve Kerr lamented that Golden State’s first half on Monday night was ”one of the most bizarre first halves” his team has played since he’s been with the Warriors and joked that he thought of resigning at halftime before getting serious.

”Our talent took over,” Kerr said. ”It’s as simple as that. We’ve got three of the best shot-makers in the league … we stayed with it.”

The trio – Thompson, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant – combined to score 47 points in the second half to pull away from a Rockets team that missed 27 straight 3-pointers from the second quarter to the halfway mark of the fourth quarter.

”I think it was just a level of experience and maturity from our group that helped us get to the finish line,” Curry said.

The Warriors outlasted the Rockets despite missing Iguodala for the last four games with a bone bruise on his left leg. It’s unclear if the 2015 NBA Finals MVP will return for Game 1 on Thursday, but if he does it will give Golden State a boost in trying to slow down James.

While Golden State certainly isn’t happy the way it started the last two games, its ability to turn things around in the second half gives the Warriors confidence heading into the next challenge. The Warriors outscored Houston 122-63 in the second half of the final two games.

Houston gave them a much bigger test than the Warriors have had in quite some time and this series was their first with three losses since the Cavaliers won the 2016 finals 4-3.

”Just keeping our composure was big for us the entire series,” Curry said. ”Whether we figured it out, win or lose, we showed a lot of fight, a lot of grit and resiliency to stay positive as we went through the series no matter what the situation was.”

Thompson was clear that the mistakes he made before halftime on Monday night won’t happen again. After scoring 35 points in Game 6 Michael Gallup Jersey Elite , he collected three fouls in less than four minutes to force him to sit out most of the first quarter.

”I cannot do that next series, and that’s a big no-no,” he said. ”Learned my lesson. Those guys are great at drawing fouls but I’ve got to be smarter than that. That really hurt. I hated not being out there when I was supposed to.”

Curry, before he could look forward to the finals, he took some time to reflect on what it took to get past the Rockets and appreciate the accomplishment of having another shot at the title.

”This was a part of our story that we hadn’t been through before,” he said. ”Our backs against the wall, not having home-court advantage, needing to win two games to keep ourselves alive. This is a true testament to how hard it is to get to the finals, how hard it is to have a chance to play for a championship.”
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