Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Jeff Mathis hit a two-run home run and Ervin Santana was solid over 7 2/3 innings as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim topped the Seattle Mariners, 4-2, in the opener of a three-game series at Safeco Field.

Casey Kotchman was 3-for-4 and scored a pair of runs for the Angels, who have won three straight. Maicer Izturis and Robb Quinlan each had a pair of hits and knocked in a run.

Santana (8-2) allowed just two runs on six hits, striking out three and walking one. Francisco Rodriguez worked a perfect ninth for his 22nd save.

"(Santana) had good stuff, he pitched a terrific game to go that deep," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "He was ahead of most guys, kept his fastball in good spots. Our pitching picked us up tonight."

Jose Lopez went 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs batted in for the Mariners, losers in three of their last four. Jarrod Washburn (2-7) dropped the decision, allowing all four runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 frames, fanning four and walking three.

The Angels opened the scoring in the third, as after Kotchman's leadoff single, Mathis crushed a one-out homer -- his fourth blast of the year -- over the wall in left.

"I threw a breaking ball to Mathis that came back and caught too much plate and he got it out of there," Washburn said. "Other than that, they did a good job putting the ball in play and I didn't do a good job putting them away when I got ahead."

Seattle countered with a run of their own in the home half, as Ichiro Suzuki lined a two-out triple to center and Lopez followed with an RBI double down the left field line.

Los Angeles punched back in the top of the fourth with two more runs. Gary Matthews, Jr. and Kotchman picked up back-to-back one-out singles, and Quinlan plated Matthews with a single to center. After a walk to Mathis loaded the bases, Izturis grounded to short, but beat out a double play to allow Kotchman to score.

"The bottom of our lineup did a great job tonight," Scioscia said.

Seattle picked up a run in the eighth when Lopez belted a two-out homer, but Jose Arredondo came on in relief of Santana and got Jose Vidro to fly out to center, and the Mariners never threatened in the ninth.