"After two miserable nights in rainy, frigid Oakland, where they lost an extra-innings heartbreaker Monday and a 14-run blowout Tuesday, the Angels could not believe the warmth and sunshine that greeted them in the often-gloomy Pacific Northwest.

"It was like we were locked in a shower for two days," outfielder Torii Hunter said upon arriving in Safeco Field on Wednesday. "Man, I'm so happy to see the sun."

Thursday, Hunter was cursing that sun.

Making his first start of the season in center field, the nine-time Gold Glove award winner lost a fly ball in the sun in the ninth inning Thursday, allowing the Seattle Mariners to score the winning run in a 2-1 victory.

The Angels' fifth consecutive loss and seventh in eight games provided a bitter and perhaps fitting end to a dismal trip in which the Angels went 1-6 against American League West rivals Texas, Oakland and Seattle.

"It's been a bad week for all of us and seven weeks of hell for me," said Hunter, who is batting .218 and has not hit a home run since April 21. "Blame me for some of the losses. It's terrible. I should be doing my job better."

Hunter, who made a spectacular leaping catch of Carlos Peguero's drive before crashing into the wall to end the seventh inning, did not have much of a chance against a bright sun that players from both teams struggled with in the later innings.

With the score tied, 1-1, Seattle cleanup batter Jack Cust opened the ninth with a check-swing tapper to third for an infield single off reliever Scott Downs. Cust took second on Adam Kennedy's bunt and third on Luis Rodriguez's grounder to first."