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Seattle Mariners

Mariners hold off Braves as Albers picks up second win

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Andrew Albers (63) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, in Atlanta. (Todd Kirkland / Associated Press)
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Andrew Albers (63) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, in Atlanta. (Todd Kirkland / Associated Press)
By Paul Newberry Associated Press

ATLANTA – Andrew Albers worked into the sixth inning for his second straight win since coming up from the minors, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 6-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.

Albers (2-0) also had the first hit and RBI of his career – in his first big league at-bat.

The 31-year-old left-hander beat his former organization, having spent most of the season at the Braves’ Triple-A club. He went 12-3 but never got a call to the big leagues.

Instead, Albers was dealt to the Mariners for cash on Aug. 11. He was called up by Seattle to make a start four days later, working six strong innings in a 3-1 win over Baltimore.

Now, after going just over four years between major league victories, Albers has two wins in less than a week.

Mike Foltynewicz (10-9) has lost four of his last five starts for Atlanta.

A disputed play at the plate helped preserve the win for Seattle, which came into the night just 1 1/2 games out of an AL wild-card spot.

With the Braves trailing 6-2 in the sixth, a catcher’s interference call sparked a rally. Ozzie Albies hit a two-run triple over the head of center fielder Leonys Martin and scored on Dansby Swanson’s sacrifice fly. Pinch hitter Lane Adams reached on an infield single, stole second and nearly scored on an infield dribbler that was bobbled by second baseman Robinson Cano.

Cano retrieved the ball and threw home to get Adams, though the Braves challenged the call. While it looked as though Adams may have gotten a toe on the plate a split-second before he was tagged, the replays weren’t definitive enough to overturn the call.

Edwin Diaz pitched the ninth for his 28th save.

Kurt Suzuki hit his 14th homer leading off the bottom half of the second, and Ender Inciarte’s two-out, run-scoring single pushed the Braves ahead 2-1.

But the Mariners went ahead for good in the fourth, scoring three runs off Foltynewicz with two outs. Yonder Alonso brought home a pair with a double off the wall in right, and Cano followed with an RBI single.

Trainer’s Room

Felix Hernandez and James Paxton are set to begin throwing workouts this week, a step toward returning to Seattle’s rotation.

Hernandez (5-4, 4.28 ERA) has battled shoulder issues much of the season. He hasn’t pitched since July 31 at Texas.

Paxton was 12-3 with a 2.78 ERA before going on the DL with a strained pectoral muscle after an Aug. 10 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

Up Next

Mariners: LHP Marco Gonzalez (0-0, 8.44 ERA) has yet to last more than 4 1/3 innings in his three previous starts for Seattle.

Braves: RHP Lucas Sims (1-3, 5.24 ERA) makes his fifth start for Atlanta after spending much of the season in Triple-A. After losing his first three starts, he picked up his first big league win at Colorado on Thursday, allowing two runs in five innings.