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Seattle Mariners

Mariners Pregame: Ariel Miranda looks to follow-up shutout, lineups and starters

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Ariel Miranda delivers a pitch to Colorado Rockies' Nolan Arenado in the first inning of an interleague game on May 30, 2017, in Denver. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

Game 63: The Seattle Mariners (31-31) host the Toronto Blue Jays (29-32) in the second of a three-game series at 7:10 p.m. at Safeco Field.

On Friday, the Mariners came from behind with two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to overtake the Jays 4-2 in front of a raucous, split crowd – as is typical when the Toronto visits Safeco.

The Mariners have won 10 of their last 12 games and have two games remaining on this season-high 11-game homestand. The M’s are 20-15 in their last 35 games.

M’s starter Ariel Miranda was stunning last time out, tossing a four-hit complete-game shutout of the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.

Miranda is 7-1 with a 2.60 ERA (72 2/3 innings) with 67 strikeouts in 12 games including 11 starts, in his career at Safeco Field. This season, he’s 3-1 with a 2.02 ERA (eight earned runs in 35 2/3 innings) with 33 strikeouts in five home starts. Miranda’s 2.02 ERA at home is the sixth-best in the A.L.

Injury News: Before the game, the Mariners said Felix Hernandez is scheduled to throw 65 pitches on Sunday for AAA-Tacoma. That means he will probably need one more additional rehab appearance before joining the big league rotation, probably now after the team returns from next week’s seven-game road trip.

Transaction: The M’s recalled RHP Emilio Pagan from AAA Tacoma and optioned Friday night’s winning pitcher, RHP Tyler Cloyd, back to Tacoma. Cloyd, who missed most of 2016 recovering from Tommy John surgery, will return to starting while in Tacoma. Pagan was 1-1 with two saves and a 3.38 ERA in 24 innings with 27 strikeouts in 15 relief appearances with AAA Tacoma.

Lineups and starters

Courtesy @MarinersPR
Courtesy @MarinersPR

Starters: LHP Ariel Miranda (6-2, 3.74) vs. RHP Marcus Stroman (6-2, 3.25)

Mariners Notes

  • The Mariners outfield leads the Majors with 26 Defensive Runs Saved. Two Mariners are tied for the individual lead in the Majors with 10 Defensive Runs Saved – Guillermo Heredia and Jarrod Dyson are sharing the top spot with Boston’s Mookie Betts and Minnesota’s Byron Buxton. Seattle ranked 17th in the Majors last season with -1 DRS.
  • Ben Gamel is hitting .317 (46 for145) with 22 runs, eight doubles, two home runs, 18 RBI and a .386 on-base mark in 39 games this season. Among rookies (min. 150 PA), his batting average and on-base percentage are second-best in the Majors behind New York’s Aaron Judge (.323 & .431).

This Day in Mariners History

In 2002, So Taguchi and Ichiro Suzuki took the field and marked the first time two Japanese position players played in a major league game.