Mariners log: Seattle shuts down Miami Marlins in Ichiro’s homecoming
Mariners extend game-winning streak to four
What happened: The Mariners rallied behind back-to-back homers in the first to beat the Miami Marlins 6-1 on Monday, Ichiro Suzuki’s first time back inside Safeco Field since 2014.
Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz hit back-to-back homers in the first two put the Mariners up 3-0. Seattle’s The M’s kept the Marlins off the board until the final inning when Miami’s Christian Yelich hit a solo home run with one out.
Monday night was a fourth straight win for Seattle, which swept the Texas Rangers in a three-game series over the weekend.
The Mariners welcomed back longtime Mariner Suzuki, who had not yet been to Seattle in a Marlins uniform. The M’s traded Suzuki to the New York Yankees in 2012 after playing for the Mariners for 11 years. Suzuki signed with the Marlins before the 2015 season.
Line Outs
- Not a bad start for the Mariners. Seattle lefty Ariel Miranda began the game with a 1-2-3 inning. Then Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz brought out the big bats with back-to-back homers to put the M’s up 3-0.
- Miami’s Ichiro Suzuki got a standing ovation from Seattle fans when he stepped up to the plate. The former Mariner grounded out on a 3-1 count to end the top of the third.
- Missed opportunity. The Mariners left three on base as Danny Valencia struck out to end the third with no runs.
- I’m wondering if anyone else holds their breath when Mike Zunino steps up to the plate. He notched another unsuccessful at-bat in the fourth, flying out to shallow left field. But Cano came to the rescue, yet again, with a long shot to left field that bounced off the top of the wall. Cano’s hit put him on second and sent Jarrod Dyson home.
- Ichiro picked up his second out of the night with a grounder to second base on a 0-2 count. It was his last chance to grab a hit on Monday.
- Miami finally gets on the board after Christian Yelich scores a solo homer. But Seattle closer Evan Scribner retired the next two batters to end the game.
Taylor Motter didn’t seem to mind Miami’s pitching change from Tom Koehler to Jose Urena. He smacked the third Mariners home run of the night to put the M’s up 6-0 in the fifth. His solo homer ended with a quick handshake with Cano and, of course, a signature hair flip.
Tweet of the Day
Players of the Game
Hero: Robinson Cano. The Seattle slugger got the M’s rolling with a two-run home run in the first. He was 2-for-4 at the plate and drove in half of Seattle’s runs.
Goat: Miami starter Tom Koehler did not wow the crowd. In his four innings, he allowed seven hits, including two homers, and five runs.
Mariners Notes
Ariel Miranda pitched seven innings without allowing a run, the longest scoreless start of his career…Robinson Cano recorded 245 career hits in interleague games. That number moves him past Nick Markakis (244) for the seventh-most hits among active players in interleague play…Mitch Haniger extended his hitting streak to 11 after hitting a single in the third inning. He has 10 runs, two doubles, four homers and 11 RBIs in the streak…The M’s have hit 402 home runs in interleague play. Seattle is the eighth team in MLB history to hit at least 400 homers.
Next Game
Seattle Mariners (6-8) vs. Miami Marlins (7-6) on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. at Safeco Field. RHP Yovani Gallardo (0-1, 6.30 ERA) vs. RHP Wei-Yin Chen (1-0, 7.00 ERA)