Kyle Seager leads hit parade as Mariners beat Rockies 10-4
DENVER – Five runs. Six runs. And now 10 runs. Maybe the Mariners really have finally broken free from their extended late May slumber.
Kyle Seager fueled a 19-hit attack Tuesday with a two-run homer and a two-run double as the Mariners stretched their winning streak to three games with a 10-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
The 19 hits are a season high.
Jean Segura had four of them, while Seager, Ben Gamel and Guillermo Heredia each had three. Robinson Cano contributed a 443-foot homer. On and on.
“It gets contagious,:” Seager said. “Look at Segura. He had four hits today and very easily could have had a couple of more. He gets the ball rolling, and we can all feed off that.
“He just needs to get four hits every game, and we’ll be pretty good.”
The Mariners scored just nine runs in eight games before breaking loose Sunday for a 5-0 victory at Boston. They followed that Monday with a 6-5 victory over the Rockies.
Three straight victories enabled the Mariners to go 4-4 on an eight-game trip that began with three games in Washington and continued with three at Boston before their two games at Coors.
“Our offense did great job of adding on tonight,” manager Scott Servais said, “which is great to see. I said the other night in Boston that I thought we hit rock bottom. I certainly believe that. We’ve turned it around since.”
That “other night in Boston” was Saturday’s 6-0 loss to Brian Johnson, who was recalled prior to the game from the minors and sent back to the minors after pitching a five-hit shutout.
“We as players, we know what we have in here,” Seager said. “We weren’t going to stress. That one game there, especially, was tough. But he threw the ball really well.”
Ariel Miranda (5-2) lasted just five innings but limited the Rockies to two runs and three hits. Miranda admitted he feel victim to the Mile High altitude.
“When I was trying to throw my fastball for a strike in the fifth inning,” he said, “I couldn’t do it. No power. I was tired. It’s very tough to pitch here in Colorado.”
The bullpen then covered the final 12 outs for a second straight game at Coors. First up was Casey Lawrence, who pitched 2 2/3 strong innings before the Mariners’ short-relief corps closed out the victory.
The four-game split series continues Wednesday night at Safeco Field.
Seager’s two-run homer in the second inning opened the scoring. It followed Nelson Cruz’s leadoff walk. Colorado starter Tyler Anderson (3-5) then walked Heredia, who came around on Mike Zunino’s double past third.
Left fielder Ian Desmond misplayed the ball, and it was judged that Heredia scored because of it. The scoring was an error and no RBI. Either way, it was 3-0.
The Mariners added three more runs in the third inning.
Cano led off with a single and went to third when Gamel, who replaced an ailing Cruz, pulled a double into the right-field corner. Both scored when Seager pulled an 0-2 cutter into right field for a double.
Heredia’s single up the middle scored Seager for a 6-0 lead.
Miranda responded to each three-spot with a shutdown inning. In the third he pitched around Trevor Story’s leadoff double.
Colorado broke through in the fifth inning after Miranda, clearly flagging, loaded the bases with a pair of two-out walks. D.J. LeMahieu then floated a two-run single into right field before Miranda ended the inning.
Cano’s leadoff homer in the seventh against reliever Mike Dunn extended the Mariners’ lead to 7-2. Gamel followed with a triple to deep center and tried to score on Heredia’s one-out grounder to second.
Gamel was initially called safe. Colorado challenged, and the call was overturned. The Mariners then challenged that catcher Ryan Hanigan didn’t allow Gamel a lane to the plate, but the out call stood.
“I felt like I (had a lane) at first,” Gamel said. “Then all I saw was leg. It happens fast.”
Colorado nicked Lawrence for one run in the eighth before the Mariners put the game away with a three-run ninth.
PLAY OF THE GAME: Zunino’s double past third in the second inning was notable in that it got past Nolan Arenado, who has won four straight Gold Gloves for defensive excellence.
Arenado subsequently displayed his excellence by making a slick pickup on Jarrod Dyson’s scalded grounder in the fifth inning and delivering a strong throw to first for the third out with two runners on base.
PLUS: Segura went 4-for-6 and has multiple hits in 20 of his 41 games. His four hits matched a season high and lifted his average to .345…Gamel went 3 for 4 after replacing Cruz in the lineup and raised his average to .306…lefty reliever Marc Rzepczynski again retired the only batter he faced. He has 20 scoreless outings in 21 appearances…Miranda is 3-0 in interleague games and leads the Mariners with five victories.
MINUS: Cruz didn’t return to right field in the Colorado second because of tightness in his right calf. Servais said afterward that Cruz is expected to play Wednesday against the Rockies at Safeco Field…Danny Valencia grounded into three double plays.
STAT PACK: Kyle Seager’s four RBIs marked the 17th time in his career that he drove in four or more runs. He has one six-RBI game, three five-RBI games and now 13 four-RBI games.
QUOTABLE: Servais on Cruz’s injury: “He should be fine (Wednesday). He knows his value to the club. When Seager hit the home run, (Cruz) took off hard running right away and felt it.
“He said, ‘Hey, Skip, I don’t want to do anything stupid.’ I said, ‘Sounds good. We’ll get Ben Gamel in there, and he’ll get us three hits.’ ”
Servais admitted the “three hits” was an ad lib in recounting the conversation: “I wish I would have said that.”
SHORT HOPS: The Mariners optioned reliever Ryne Harper to Triple-A Tacoma after the game in order to clear roster space for James Paxton, who will be activated Wednesday from the disabled list…the Rockies recalled right-hander Carlos Estevez prior to the game from Triple-A Albuquerque after placing right-hander Adam Ottavino on the disabled list because of shoulder inflammation…Arenado went hitless four at-bats, which snapped his 16-game streak of reaching base safely at least once…the Mariners are 7-3 at the midway point of their interleague schedule…
ON DECK: The Mariners and Rockies resume their four-game split series at 7:10 p.m. Wednesday at Safeco Field.
The Mariners plan to start left-hander James Paxton (3-0 with a 1.43 ERA) after activating him from the disabled list. His last start was May 2. Colorado will start rookie right-hander Antonio Senzatela (7-1 and 3.19).
Senzatela’s seven victories are tied for the National League lead.