Franklin Gutierrez’s two homers, six RBIs lead Mariners past Boston
BOSTON – Franklin Gutierrez is developing an affinity for Fenway Park.
Gutierrez homered in his first two at-bats and drove in a career-high six runs as the Seattle Mariners outslugged the Boston Red Sox 8-4 on Friday night.
It was the third multihomer game in Gutierrez’s career and first since he hit a pair in Boston last August.
“So I guess I see the ball pretty good here at Fenway Park,” said Gutierrez, who also doubled with the bases loaded as the Mariners scored the first seven runs of the game. “It’s a good day today. What can I say?”
Robinson Cano drove in Seattle’s other two runs, including his 19th homer with a leadoff shot in the seventh, as Seattle won its second straight since a four-game losing streak.
David Ortiz hit a two-run homer for Boston in the fourth. It was the 521st homer for Ortiz, tying him with Red Sox great Ted Williams, Willie McCovey and Frank Thomas for 19th on the career list.
Not easily humbled, Ortiz spoke reverently about the company he joined Friday night.
“It means a lot. Historically, you guys know how great Mr. Ted Williams was,” Ortiz said. “It’s wonderful, man. We’re talking about some of the greatest hitters in the game.”
Ortiz’s shot to center off Hisashi Iwakuma cut Seattle’s lead to 7-2 in the fourth. After Cano’s homer in the seventh, the Red Sox added two more runs in the bottom half of the inning but couldn’t overcome their early deficit.
Iwakuma (6-5) went seven innings, allowing four runs on nine hits. Iwakuma pitched deep enough to keep Seattle from stressing its bullpen too much on the day the Mariners lost another starter to the disabled list.
Wade Miley, scheduled to start Saturday, joined Felix Hernandez on the DL earlier Friday.
“It’s one of the better-hitting teams in the league, so I tip my hat to Kuma,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.
“It was huge, especially with the spot starter coming tomorrow. We really needed that to kind of calm things down here a bit.”
Steve Cishek came in to end a threat by Boston in the ninth and picked up his 16th save.
The Mariners roughed up former teammate Roenis Elias (0-1) early in his first start for Boston, which acquired him in an offseason deal with Seattle. Elias threw 30 pitches in the first inning and was down 2-0 after just three of them.
Ketel Marte singled on the opening pitch, then Gutierrez hit a 1-0 changeup out to center for his sixth homer of the season.
Gutierrez led off the third with a shot to left that cleared the Green Monster and everything above it, then just missed a grand slam in the fourth with a three-run double to the base of the right-field wall that gave the Mariners a 6-0 lead.
“So close from hitting the third one. It really was,” Servais said. “Obviously he was seeing the ball really good.”
Gutierrez scored on a single by Cano.
Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia drove in runs with a pair of sacrifice flies in the seventh for Boston to cut the lead to 8-4.
Streaking Cano
Cano has multiple hits in seven of his last 10 games. He atoned for a base-running mistake in the fourth, when he tried to stretch a single into a double and was thrown out at second, with his 258th homer.
It was his 247th as a second baseman, which according to the Mariners broke a tie with Joe Gordon for the most by a second baseman in American League history.
“American League’s been around for a while. That’s a pretty big deal,” Servais said.
Jeff Kent holds the MLB record for homers by a second baseman with 351.
On the road again
The Red Sox called up Elias from Triple-A Pawtucket earlier in the day, then sent him right back down after Friday night’s loss.
Manager John Farrell said Elias did a good job to steady himself after the rough start, but couldn’t overcome the damage done by Gutierrez.
“Gutierrez was the story tonight against him,” Farrell said.
Trainer’s room
Mariners: Placed LHP Wade Miley on the 15-day DL because of a left shoulder impingement and recalled RHP Jonathan Aro and LHP David Rollins from Triple-A Tacoma.
Red Sox: Placed IF Josh Rutledge (left knee tendinitis) on the 15-day DL and recalled Elias from Triple-A Pawtucket. Farrell said Boston sent Elias and OF Rusney Castillo back to Triple-A after the game and planned to return Clay Buchholz to the starting lineup.
Up next
Mariners: RHP Adrian Sampson is expected to make his major league debut in place of Miley. Sampson was with the Mariners but not on the active roster Friday night. Sampson is 7-4 with a 3.25 ERA in 13 starts at Triple-A Tacoma this season.
Red Sox: Rick Porcello (7-2, 3.81) tries to remain unbeaten in starts at Fenway Park this season. Porcello has a no-decision in each of his last four starts.