Carlos Perez wins it for Angels with walk-off home run in MLB debut

KEY MOMENT: Carlos Perez won the game with his walk-off homer, but that wouldn’t have been possible without a two-run rally off reliever Danny Farquhar that tied the score, 4-4, in the eighth. Albert Pujols hit a one-out single to right, David Freese walked and Erick Aybar hit an RBI single to right. Johnny Giavotella followed with an RBI single to left to score pinch-runner Taylor Featherston.

AT THE PLATE: With Kole Calhoun, who singled, aboard in the first, Pujols got a green light on a 3-and-0 pitch from James Paxton and drove it over the left-center field wall for his 525th career homer. It was the seventh time in his career Pujols has hit a 3-0 pitch for a homer. The first baseman is 11 for 30 (.367) in an eight-game hit streak to raise his average from .177 to .239. Calhoun returned to the leadoff spot after batting cleanup for five games, a move Manager Mike Scioscia said he “hopes is permanent.”

ON THE MOUND: Setup man Joe Smith struggled for the second straight appearance, his inability to get left-handers out leading to Seattle’s three runs in the eighth. Robinson Cano led off with a double to center and took third on Nelson Cruz’s slow roller to third. Kyle Seager hit an RBI single to right, Logan Morrison singled to center and Mike Zunino hit a ground-rule RBI double to right. Right-hander Fernando Salas replaced Smith and gave up a sacrifice fly to left to Dustin Ackley for a 4-2 Mariners lead. Smith retired only one of four left-handed hitters he faced in Friday’s loss in San Francisco, but Scioscia said he will continue to use the sidearm-throwing right-hander in the eighth inning.

ON THE FARM: Organizational depth at shortstop has been thinned by left-shoulder injuries to Eric Stamets (double-A Arkansas), Roberto Baldoquin (Class-A Inland Empire) and Jake Yacinich (Class-A Burlington). The injury to Stamets is the most serious of the three—he will be sidelined for several weeks. … Left-hander Hunter Green, a second-round pick in 2013, suffered another setback, a stress fracture in his elbow that will sideline him for several months. Green missed all of 2014 because of a back injury.

UP NEXT: Left-hander C.J. Wilson (1-2, 2.73 ERA) will oppose Seattle left-hander Roenis Elias (0-1, 3.86 ERA) at Angel Stadium on Wednesday at 7 p.m. On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 830.