“I wanted to give him the opportunity,’’ Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. “I thought he earned it. … It’s a significant step for him, to be out there in that situation. It didn’t work out this time, but now he’s gone through it late in a ballgame, and he’ll be better for it next time.’’
Both starters worked quickly and smoothly in the series finale on another uncomfortably warm night in Orange County until the big finish.
Furbush yielded five hits and one walk, throwing 100 pitches in the longest start of his career. The rookie has lost four straight starts with the club that acquired him from Detroit in late July, but he thoroughly dominated the Angels for seven innings.
“Until the eighth inning, I put the team in a position to win the game, and that’s all I can do as a starter — go as deep as I can,’’ Furbush said. “I felt good in the eighth. Maybe I got a little out of whack there at the end, but physically I felt fine.’’
Despite his pedestrian record, Furbush has showed signs of dominance this season, notably pitching seven innings of one-run ball against the mighty Boston Red Sox last month.
Robinson’s sixth-inning leadoff homer on a low pitch was the Mariners’ only hit off Williams, a journeyman who has made three strong starts for Los Angeles down the playoff stretch after beginning the season in the independent Atlantic League. Williams spared only a moment afterward to consider just how far he has traveled since reinventing himself as a deceptive four-pitch right-hander last season.
“It’s exciting to a point,’’ Williams said. “I can’t let all those emotions get to me when I go out there and pitch. We’re in the hunt for the playoffs, and I’ve got to focus on getting wins. … If I keep on putting up zeros, I’ll keep the guys in the hunt.’’
