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Seattle Mariners

Out of Right Field: Recap, takeaways from the Seattle Mariners’ 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres

Seattle Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager throws to first to get San Diego Padres' Austin Hedges out during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in Seattle. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)
By Gene Warnick The Spokesman-Review

A little hustle went a long way for the Mariners on Wednesday afternoon.

Mallex Smith led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a double and scored the go-ahead run as the M’s snapped a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory against the visiting San Diego Padres on Wednesday afternoon.

Kyle Seager homered for Seattle, which had lost to the Padres seven straight times in interleague play.

Fernando Tatis Jr. and Francisco Mejia homered for the Padres.

Smith hit a soft liner to left-center off right-hander Andres Munoz that Padres left fielder Wil Myers made a diving attempt to catch but the ball dropped just in front of him, with the speedy Smith taking second. J.P. Crawford then put down a bunt just in front of the plate, with Padres catcher Austin Hedges trying to throw out the lead runner. Smith was originally ruled out, but a video review showed he got his hand to the base before the tag by third baseman Manny Machado. After Munoz fanned Domingo Santana for first out of the inning, Daniel Vogelbach hit a slow chopper to shortstop Tatis that had all the makings of an inning-ending double play. But Vogelbach legged it out, beating the throw from second baseman Luis Urias as Smith scored.

Matt Magill (3-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for the victory and fellow right-hander Anthony Bass earned his second save.

Mariners left-hander Yusei Kikuchi allowed a leadoff home run to Tatis in the first inning but settled down and didn’t allow another run in his five innings. He gave up four hits, walked three and struck out eight.

Of note

RHP Brandon Brennan made his first appearance for the M’s since June 13 after Spending time on the injured list with a strained right shoulder.

By the numbers

31: Stolen bases for Smith this season, tying Kansas City’s Adalberto Mondesi for the major-league lead.

Our take from Right Field

Considering Kikuchi had gone 1-7 with a 7.65 ERA over his previous 12 starts, with opponents batting .347 and hitting 20 home runs, Wednesday marked a dramatic improvement.

Up next

The M’s have Thursday off before starting a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at 7:10 p.m. Friday at T-Mobile Park. LHP Marco Gonzales (12-9, 4.32 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Mariners, while the Rays have yet to announce their pitcher.