Silva won for the first time in his last 15 starts dating to last season, Russell Branyan hit a three-run homer and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-8 on Saturday night.

Silva (1-2) allowed three runs and six hits. The right-hander, who had lost eight straight decisions since his previous win on June 28, is 2-19 since starting last season 3-0.

"I tried to stay there and compete and help my team out, but it wasn't easy," Silva said. "Wakamatsu was ready to take me out in the third. I think he even made the call to the bullpen from the dugout, and I was like, 'Please, just give me a chance.' It was very important for me that he let me at least finish those five innings."

Silva set down his first six batters in order, but retired only three of his next nine - giving up a leadoff homer in the fourth to Kendry Morales that trimmed Seattle's lead to 5-3. The right-hander finally got through the fifth, retiring Torii Hunter on a broken-bat grounder with his 72nd pitch.

"I don't think it's anything serious," Wakamatsu said. "He felt it quite a bit through those last two innings, but he wouldn't let me take him out. He battled, and that's a credit to him."

The Angels scored five runs in the last three innings to get within one but couldn't complete the rally. David Aardsma yielded Hunter's two-run homer in the ninth before finishing for his third save. It was up to the Mariners' setup man to close because Brendan Morrow wasn't available due to stiffness in his right shoulder.

"He wasn't down in the bullpen, so we were trying to figure out what was wrong," Aardsma said. "Pretty soon, we realized that he's not showing up. So obviously, everybody's role jumps back an extra inning, and I had the ninth. If I get those opportunities, I'm going to do my best. But it's still Brandon's job."

Branyan gave Angels emergency starter Anthony Ortega a rude welcome to the big leagues with his fourth homer in the first inning. He also went deep his first time up in Friday's 8-3 win.

Branyan added a run-scoring single in the seventh, giving him six RBIs in two games after missing the previous five due to lower back spasms.

Wladimir Balentien's first homer and RBI of the season helped the first-place Mariners open a 5 1/2-game lead on the third-place Angels, who have won the last two AL West titles and four in a five-year span.