M’s bullpen quickly gives up lead in 2-1 loss to Boston

BOSTON – Seattle manager Scott Servais turned to what he called a rested bullpen before the game.

It didn’t take long for the lead to be gone.

Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning off Edwin Diaz after Boston tied it an inning earlier, and the Red Sox beat the Mariners 2-1 on Sunday.

Seattle starter Taijuan Walker kept the majors’ top scoring team off the scoreboard over five innings after leaving his previous start with a strained tendon in his right foot.

But the 23-year-old righty was lifted when it bothered him again after throwing 88 pitches, and Boston tied it at 1-1 in the sixth against Vidal Nuno on Hanley Ramirez’s fielder’s choice grounder.

“I would like to have kept riding him because he was getting them out, but the information I got and everybody thought it would be best to get him out at that point,” Servais said. “It was tough. It was a tough game, tight game and he was getting them out, but it was bothering him.”

Walker didn’t expect it to flare up after he warmed prior to the game.

“No, it felt really good, even in the bullpen it felt really good,” he said. “But I think just going out there and the extra intensity, really getting after it and pushing off (bothered it).”

Franklin Gutierrez hit a solo homer for the Mariners. He sparked their series-opening victory with two homers and six RBIs.

Betts also had two singles for Boston, which won its second straight after losing four of five.

David Price (8-4) gave up one run on eight hits in eight sharp innings, striking out seven without issuing a walk. He fanned his final two batters before Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth for his 16th save.

“He threw the ball really well, kept us off balance all day,” Servais said.

Price was rarely in trouble, but his teammates had difficulty scoring for him again. In his previous three starts, they had just five total runs.

The lefty got just enough support when Betts led off the seventh by hitting a fastball from Diaz (0-1) into the Green Monster seats.

Servais said before the game that he didn’t think Walker would be 100 percent, but hoped the adrenaline of starting would negate any lingering problem.

Gutierrez led off the fourth with a line drive that snuck inside the Pesky Pole in right.

Ramirez’s bouncer scored Xander Bogaerts after he singled and advanced to third on David Ortiz’s single.