Josh Rojas of the Seattle Mariners (R) is caught in a run-down by second baseman Kyren Paris of the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning at T-Mobile Park on June 2, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
Second baseman Ryan Bliss of the Seattle Mariners looks for a call after tagging Kevin Pillar of the Los Angeles Angels, attempting to steal second base, during the second inning of a game at T-Mobile Park on June 2, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. Pillar was called out on the play. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
(L-R) Catcher Logan O’Hoppe, shortstop Zach Neto, starting pitcher Griffin Canning and first baseman Willie Calhoun of the Los Angeles Angels meet on the mound as manager Ron Washington takes Canning out of the game in the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 2, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
Starter Griffin Canning of the Los Angeles Angels delivers a pitch during the first inning of a game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 2, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
Second baseman Kyren Paris of the Los Angeles Angels turns a double play after forcing out Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners at second base during the fourth inning of a game at T-Mobile Park on June 2, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
Luke Raley of the Seattle Mariners hits a solo home run during the fourth inning of a game against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park on June 2, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
Taylor Ward of the Los Angeles Angels dodges a pitch in the eighth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 2, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
Luke Raley of the Seattle Mariners tosses his bat after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park on June 2, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
Josh Rojas of the Seattle Mariners celebrates scoring a run after Luke Raley was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park on June 2, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning, right, throws to third baseman Luis Rengifo as Seattle Mariners’ Josh Rojas gets caught in a rundown between second and third during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)
Los Angeles Angels’ Kevin Pillar, right, is caught stealing second by Seattle Mariners second baseman Ryan Bliss during the second inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)
Los Angeles Angels second baseman Kyren Paris (19) goes to tag Seattle Mariners’ Josh Rojas, right, who gets caught in a rundown between second and third during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)
Los Angeles Angels’ Taylor Ward (3) celebrates at second base after hitting a ground rule double as Seattle Mariners second baseman Ryan Bliss (1) looks on during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning, right, walks to the mound after giving up a home run to Seattle Mariners’ Luke Raley who rounds third during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)
Seattle Mariners’ Luke Raley, center, crosses home plate after hitting a home run as Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe, left, looks on during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)
Los Angeles Angels third baseman Luis Rengifo fields a ground ball to get Seattle Mariners’ Ty France out at first during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning, right, throws to third baseman Luis Rengifo as Seattle Mariners’ Josh Rojas gets caught in a rundown between second and third during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)
SEATTLE —The Angels saw each of the American League’s three first-place teams in the last three series, and the results demonstrated how far they have to go.
After a 5-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, the Angels lost eight of nine games against the Cleveland Guardians, New York Yankees and Mariners.
“The last three series we’ve had against No. 1 teams, you see what you’ve got to do to beat No. 1 teams,” manager Ron Washington said. “We didn’t do it.”
The Angels mostly had solid starting pitching — including Griffin Canning’s best start of the season on Sunday — but the offense, defense and bullpen all struggled at various times during a stretch that dropped their record to 21-38.
The Mariners, who have one of the best pitching staffs in the league, held the Angels to five runs in three games, and four of them came on one swing of Jo Adell’s bat on Friday. The Angels went 19 innings between runs, ending the drought with a meaningless run in the ninth inning on Sunday.
“It has a lot to do with (Seattle’s) pitching but it also has a lot to do with us not going up there trying to pass the baton,” Washington said. “I think a couple times we went up there and we were trying to get one run when all we needed to do is put the ball in play and make something happen, and hopefully we would have gotten more than one run. But it’s youth. They’ve got to understand it. They are going through it.”
The only consolation on Sunday was that Canning gave up just one run in 6-2/3 innings, his longest outing of the season.
“He was in control,” Washington said. “He was able to manipulate the strike zone with all of his pitches, his changeup, his breaking ball, his fastball.”
Canning gave up only four hits, but one of them was a Luke Raley homer in the fourth inning. Canning threw a 1-and-2 fastball right over the middle, and Raley hit it into the first row beyond the right field fence.
Canning now has a 2.36 ERA over his last six starts, with 24 strikeouts and 12 walks in 34-1/3 innings.
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He’s worked at least five innings in each of those games, and this was the third time in that span he’s finished the sixth.
Canning couldn’t quite outdo Seattle’s Luis Castillo, though.
The Angels managed just two hits and three walks in his seven innings. The Angels only had two at-bats with a runner in scoring position while Castillo was in the game, one in the first and one in the fourth.
For most of the day, the Angels were still one swing away, but the game got away from them in the bottom of the eighth. Left-hander Matt Moore issued two walks. Right-hander Luis Garcia would have been out of the inning, but shortstop Zach Neto mishandled a bouncer in front of him. Garcia then hit a batter with the bases loaded and gave up a three-run double to Mitch Garver.
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