BASEBALL: Healy’s two-out single in 12th pushes Seattle past Texas
Published 11:46 pm Monday, August 6, 2018
By Stephen Hawkins
Associated Press
ARLINGTON — Ryon Healy had a go-ahead RBI single with two outs in the 12th inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 4-3 on Monday night after blowing an early three-run lead.
Mitch Haniger scored from second base when Healy hit a hard grounder through the left side of the infield. Haniger had doubled into the left field corner off Eddie Butler (2-2) a pitch after Jean Segura was thrown out trying to steal second base.
Sam Tuivailala (4-3), the seventh Seattle pitcher, had a perfect 11th for his first decision in four appearances since getting acquired July 27 in a trade from St. Louis. Edwin Diaz pitched the 12th for his majors-best 42nd save in 45 chances despite allowing a pair of singles.
Mike Zunino homered for the Mariners, who have won back-to-back games since a season-worst five-game losing streak.
The Rangers trailed 3-0 before six consecutive batters reach base in the seventh against starter Wade LeBlanc and three relievers.
LeBlanc was done after Elvis Andrus’ one-out single that extended his hitting streak to 17 games, his career best and the longest active streak in the majors. Adam Warren then walked a batter, allowed an RBI double to Jurickson Profar and hit Robinson Chirinos on his hand on a full-count pitch to load the bases. Mariners manager Scott Servais argued the pitch hit the knob of the bat, but the call stood after a 2-minute replay review.
Zach Duke walked Joey Gallo, the only batter he faced, with the bases loaded to force in a run before Alex Colome allowed an RBI single to Isiah Kiner-Falefa for a 3-3 tie.
After Healy led off the sixth with a double and scored on Cameron Maybin’s single, Seattle loaded the bases with no outs before speedy leadoff hitter Dee Gordon hit a grounder that turned into a nifty double play.
Second baseman Rouged Odor made a backhanded pick of the short hopper, stepped on the bag and then threw with his body falling away from the base. First baseman Jurickson Profar snagged the one-hop relay while sliding into a split, though a run did score for a 3-0 lead.
TRAINER’S ROOM
• Mariners: Gordon was back in in the lineup after missing two games because of a sore right ankle. Gordon twisted the ankle trying to turn a double play Thursday against Toronto. He played Friday, but not Saturday or Sunday.
• Rangers: RF Nomar Mazara, out since the All-Star break with a sprained right thumb, is taking batting practice and manager Jeff Banister said he could possibly start a rehab assignment later this week. Mazara said the thumb is getting stronger every day. … Hard-throwing reliever Matt Bush (right elbow strain) could start playing some light catch in the next couple of days. He hasn’t pitched in almost two months.
UP NEXT
A matchup of struggling former AL Cy Young Award winners when 45-year-old Rangers hurler Bartolo Colon (5-10, 5.18 ERA) goes against Seattle and Felix Hernandez (8-9, 5.49). The last victory for both right-handers was June 30. Colon, the 2005 Cy Young winner while with the Angels, has lost five consecutive starts since his 246th career win that matched Dennis Martinez for the most by a player born in Latin America. The 32-year-old Hernandez, who won the Cy Young with the Mariners in 2010, is 0-3 with a 7.64 ERA his last four starts.