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Seattle Mariners

Mariners Log: Ariel Miranda impresses and M’s homer twice to beat Indians

Seattle Mariners' Robinson Cano watches his two-run home run off Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 28, 2017, in Cleveland. (Tony Dejak / Associated Press)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

BULLPEN PROVIDES 3 2/3 SHUTOUT INNINGS IN RELIEF OF MIRANDA

What happened: Robinson Cano and Ben Gamel homered, Ariel Miranda was sharp and the bullpen was lights out as the Seattle Mariners (11-13) won their third in a row, beating the Cleveland Indians 3-1 at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

Miranda turned in a strong outing, allowing one run – a solo shot to Jose Ramirez – with just two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts scattered in. He threw 55 of his 96 pitches for strikes.

Relievers James Pazos and Edwin Diaz combined to strike out seven in 3 2/3 shutout innings.

Meanwhile, Cano staked the M’s to a lead with a two-run shot in the fourth, and Gamel added protection with his first, which made it into the first row of seats down the right field line in the sixth.

Line outs

  • Leadoff hitter Jean Segura continued his hot hitting, doubling off the wall on the third pitch of the game. He went to third on a long flyout to center by Ben Gamel but was stranded after Robinson Cano flied out to medium left and Taylor Motter popped up.
  • Miranda saw some trouble in the first, walking both Francisco Lindor and Edwin Encarnacion, but he came back to strike out Jose Ramirez on a high fastball.
  • In the third, Gamel doubled on a line drive to center and Cano launched a 92 mph fastball into the seats in center.
  • Jose Ramirez lined a shot just over the wall in left in the fourth. Originally ruled a double, after review it was clear the ball hit a railing above the yellow line on the top of the wall for a home run. After the homer, Miranda buckled down and struck out Jason Kipnis and Austin Jackson.
  • Speed giveth and taketh: Jarrod Dyson used his blazing speed to bunt for a two-out base hit in the fifth, but was then thrown out trying to steal second by catcher Yan Gomes.
  • With one out in the sixth, Gamel ripped a fastball right down the right field line and into the first row of the stands for his first home run of the season.
  • In the bottom, James Pazos did a real nice job coming in for Miranda with a runner on first, striking out Encarnacion and Ramirez to keep the two-run lead intact.
  • Manager Scott Servais played to his bullpen’s strength in the eighth. Pazos sandwiched a pair of outs around a double by Lindor, then brought in his closer, Edwin Diaz, to face the big bat right-handed bat of Encarnacion. Diaz fell behind 2-1 before coaxing swings on a slider and two-seam fastball to get a big out with the tying run at the plate.
  • Diaz then finished off his fourth save with a couple of strikeouts in an easy ninth inning.

The Takeaway

This is the Miranda the Mariners dream about. He had command of his fastball in all four quadrants, used his slider as an out pitch, and though not particularly efficient, was able to work into the sixth before giving was to a dominant performance by the pen. For the M’s to be competitive, they need to see this Miranda rather than the one that coughed up four run in three innings to the A’s last time out.

Tweet of the Day

Players of the Game

Hero: James Pazos. Rarely does a middle reliever qualify for this prestigious award, but Pazos warrants special mention. Four strikeouts in 2 1/3, big Ks in the sixth with a runner on. Just a tremendous job.

Goat: Taylor Motter. 0 for 4 in the cleanup spot. Not the ideal place for his to be batting, but still.

Mariners Notes

Kyle Seager went 0 for 3 with a walk in the fifth spot in the order…Dan Vogelbach and Mike Zunino went 0-fer as well…the M’s went 1 for 4 with RISP and left just one runner.

Next Game

Seattle Mariners (11-13) vs. Cleveland Indians (12-10), 1:10 p.m. at Progressive Field. Yovani Gallardo (1-2, 4.84) vs. Danny Salazar 91-2, 4.37).

What others are saying (and writing)

Miranda’s gem didn’t come as much of surprise to the Cleveland faithful. The 3-1 Seattle win was accompanied by two M’s home runs, one of them from a surprising source. … The bullpen did its job yesterday as well, though it was only two guys. … The shoe fell on the injury front yesterday, with Felix Hernandez and Mitch Haniger out from three-to-four weeks. It’s already been a long season in that regard.