DETROIT (AP) The Seattle Mariners overcame a slow start and found a way to get past the Detroit Tigers on Thursday.
Kyle Seager drove in three runs, including two in a three-run third inning, and the Mariners topped the Tigers with a 7-2 victory.
”I don’t think we were ready to go in the first couple innings,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. ”It was a day game and we were still waking up.”
Mallex Smith stole two bases in three attempts, giving him 34, the most in the majors.
”I thought I had a great jump on the third one, but (John) Hicks got me,” he said.
The Mariners won two of three in the series after losing eight of their previous nine, thanks in large part to Seager. He hit three homers in Tuesday’s win and drove in six runs.
”Kyle had some big hits for us,” Servais said. ”We haven’t had many series wins lately, so this is a good way to start the road trip.”
Detroit finished 4-7 on its 11-game homestand to fall to 17-43 at home. The Tigers need to win five of their last 21 games at Comerica Park to avoid reaching 60 losses at home.
”I think our offense was a little better on this homestand – at least it felt that way from the dugout,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. ”But we’re not getting enough hits in big situations, and we didn’t do much of anything today.”
After Seattle opener Matt Wisler pitched a scoreless first, Tommy Milone (2-7) took over as the primary pitcher and allowed two runs and six hits in four innings.
”This is something I’m used to, whether I come in for the second, third or fourth,” he said. ”I know what day I’m going to pitch and the preparation is somewhat the same. It’s just delayed a bit.”
Milone left after allowing a leadoff single in the sixth, but picked up his first win since May 27.
”With (Miguel) Cabrera coming up, I thought it was a good idea to start using the righties in our bullpen,” Servais said.
Tigers starter Spencer Turnbull (3-11) allowed three runs and six hits in five innings.
Turnbull struck out seven batters in the first three innings, but only retired the side in order in the first. The Mariners put two runners on in the second and scored three runs in the third.
With two outs and a runner on first, Omar Narvaez’s double put two runners in scoring position. They both came home on Seager’s double before Austin Nola made it 3-0 with an RBI single.
”The pitch to Seager was just a bad idea,” Gardenhire said. ”It’s a 2-2 pitch and he’s gotten him to chase two pitches outside the zone. Throw something in the dirt, don’t throw a curveball down the middle.”
Victor Reyes led off the fourth with a triple that scooted under Smith’s glove. Dawel Lugo followed with a sacrifice fly to pull Detroit within 3-1 before Miguel Cabrera hit his ninth homer of the season.
”I definitely should have cut that off,” Smith said. ”I think it disappeared when I was trying to field it. I got done by a disappearing ball.”
Cabrera, who had a slugging percentage over .500 for 14 straight seasons from 2003-16, is at .399 this year and will finish under .450 for the third straight year.
”I can never be satisfied about anything like this,” said Cabrera, who has become a full-time DH because of knee problems. ”I won’t be satisfied unless I’m producing for my team the way I always did.”
Moore led off the seventh with a homer off Matt Hall to move the Seattle lead to 4-2 and Narvaez added an RBI single later in the inning.
Smith’s flare to center made it 6-2 in the eighth, and Seager added an RBI single in the ninth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: Felix Hernandez (shoulder) pitched four scoreless innings Wednesday in a rehab start for Class A Everett, striking out eight. … RHP Brandon Brennan was placed on the injured list with shoulder fatigue. The team does not believe the injury to be serious but didn’t want to be short-handed in the bullpen.
Tigers: LF Christin Stewart (concussion) and C Grayson Greiner (back) started rehab assignments on Wednesday. Greiner went 0 for 4 for Class A Lakeland while Stewart went 2 for 5 for Triple-A Toledo.
UPCOMING ROAD TRIP
After going 4-7 at home against three of the American League’s poorer teams – the White Sox, Royals and Mariners – the Tigers now face a 10-game trip against the Rays, Astros and Twins.
”This is going to be a big challenge,” Cabrera said. ”We’ve got a lot of young guys here and a lot of prospects in the minors, and we need to start getting them ready to play in big games.”
UP NEXT
Mariners: After a quick international flight, Seattle will start a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. A Mariners opener will pitch the first game against Jacob Waguespack (3-1, 4.31).
Tigers: Detroit goes south for a three-game series against Tampa Bay. Daniel Norris (3-10, 4.94) will start Friday’s game for the Tigers against Charlie Morton (13-4, 2.90).
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