Mariners roar back to life in the desert
Span’s 10th-inning homer caps a late Seattle rally in victory over Diamondbacks
PHOENIX — Denard Span hit a solo home run in the 10th inning and the Seattle Mariners scored two in the ninth to rally for a 4-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.
Jake Diekman (0-1) got the first out of the 10th before Span sent a drive onto the pool deck in right-centre for the go-ahead run.
Arizona had runners at the corners after a pair of singles off Edwin Diaz in the 10th, but Paul Goldschmidt got caught in a rundown trying to score on David Peralta’s grounder to third. Diaz got Nick Ahmed and Ketel Marte to fly out, becoming the 17th pitcher in big league history with 50 saves in a season.
Arizona took a 3-1 lead in the seventh on A.J. Pollock’s broken-bat, two-run single, but the Diamondbacks couldn’t hold it.
Brad Boxberger walked a batter and gave up a single to put runners at the corners in the ninth. Kyle Seager hit a two-run double just inside the line in right to tie it.
Alex Colome (5-5) worked around Pollock’s two-out infield single in the ninth and Mitch Haniger led off the game with a long homer for the Mariners.
Eduardo Escobar hit a solo homer for the Diamondbacks, who lost their second straight and fell into a tie with Colorado atop the NL West.
Arizona starter Robbie Ray had command problems in his last start as well, walking five while allowing three runs on two hits in 4 ⅓ innings of a win over San Diego.
The left-hander had trouble almost immediately against the Mariners, watching his second pitch of the night sail deep to centre for a home run by Haniger. The Mariners loaded the bases as Ray bounced several curveballs in the dirt, but he struck out Seager and Mike Zunino to escape the jam.
Ray pitched out of another bases-loaded jam in the fourth, leaving after allowing a run and five hits in five innings.
Mariners starter Wade LeBlanc was coming off a shaky outing of his own, giving up five earned runs on seven hits in 4 ⅓ innings of a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The lefty gave up the homer to Escobar in the first, but limited the Diamondbacks to three hits over the next four innings. He allowed a run and struck out six in six innings.
HONOURING MCCAIN
The Diamondbacks paid tribute to John McCain by posting a picture of the Arizona Senator on the video board, drawing a standing ovation from the crowd. An avid sports fan and supporter of Arizona’s teams, McCain died on Saturday after battling brain cancer. He was 81.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: LHP James Paxton (bruised left forearm) of Ladner will throw a bullpen session on Tuesday and likely be slotted back into the rotation next weekend against Oakland.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke is 5-1 with a 2.24 ERA in 12 career games (10 starts) against Seattle heading into Sunday. RHP Mike Leake will pitch for the Mariners after missing his previous turn with an illness.