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Seattle Mariners

Rough night for Mariners in loss to Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates' Sean Rodriguez doubles in three runs against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning Wednesday in Seattle. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
By Bob Dutton Tacoma News Tribune

SEATTLE – Left-hander Wade Miley returned Wednesday from the disabled list and took a beating over four innings and, really, he was the more fortunate member of the Mariners’ starting battery.

Catcher Steve Clevenger suffered a broken bone in his right hand when hit by a foul tip in the third inning and is almost certainly headed for the disabled list.

It wasn’t much of a game either.

Pittsburgh built an eight-run lead against Miley and reliever Donn Roach and gained a split in the two-game series with an 8-1 victory at Safeco Field. The loss dropped the Mariners back to .500 at 39-39.

Miley (6-4) worked a 1-2-3 first inning in his first start since June 12 before giving up three runs in the second and two more in the fourth.

Roach took over in the fifth inning – and the game turned into a blowout when Sean Rodriguez’s three-run double extended the Pirates’ lead to 8-0.

The Mariners broke through later in the inning against Pittsburgh starter Jameson Taillon after Kyle Seager led off with a double that hopped the right-field wall. Adam Lind sliced a one-out RBI single to left.

That was all Taillon (2-1) allowed in six innings. A.J. Schugel, Neftali Feliz and Tony Watson closed out the victory.

Rodriguez paced the Pirates’ 11-hit attack with a pair of doubles and four RBIs. Starling Marte was 3 for 4 and scored three runs.

Pittsburgh grabbed a 1-0 lead when David Freese tucked a first-pitch fastball just inside the right-field line for a leadoff homer in the second inning.

That was just the beginning.

Starling Marte lined a single into center and, after Miley hit Rodriguez with a pitch, Josh Harrison pulled a two-run double to left for a 3-0 lead.

The Pirates added two more runs in the fourth. Marte led off with a single and stole second before scoring on Rodriguez’s double to right. Rodriguez scored on Jordy Mercer’s two-out single through the left side.

Play of the game

Catcher Steve Clevenger left the game in the third inning after being hit in the throwing hand by a foul tip off the bat of Andrew McCutchen.

An examination revealed Clevenger suffered a fractured third metacarpal bone (the bone in the hand leading to the middle finger).

That virtually ensures that Clevenger will be placed on the disabled list and require a roster move to add a catcher prior to Thursday’s game against Baltimore.

Mike Zunino and Steve Baron are on the 40-man roster and could simply be recalled, but the Mariners could create a space for Rob Brantly or even Jesus Sucre by shifting injured pitcher Adrian Sampson to the 60-day DL.

Plus

Nathan Karns began his new role as a reliever by striking out the side in a brisk sixth inning. He also struck out the side in the seventh, although the Pirates loaded the bases…Seth Smith had two hits after entering the game in a 1-for-11 skid…Robinson Cano went 2 for 4 and raised his average to .305…lefty reliever David Rollins pitched two scoreless innings.

Minus

Reliever Donn Roach didn’t help his already tenuous spot on a 13-man staff by giving up three runs in his only inning. … Third baseman Kyle Seager had two errors – his eighth and ninth of the season. He had just eight errors throughout the 2014 season when he won a Gold Glove for defensive excellence. … Nelson Cruz grounded into a double play with two on and one out in the first inning and struck out with two on and one out in the sixth.

Short hops

Pittsburgh reliever A.J. Schugel, who pitched a scoreless seventh inning, was a Mariner last winter for just over a month. The Mariners acquired him on Dec. 16 in a waiver claim from Arizona. He was designated for assignment Jan. 12 when the Mariners needed a roster spot after acquiring right-handed Joe Wieland from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a trade. The Pirates acquired Schugel in a Jan. 19 waiver claim.