Paxton wins his seventh straight start, tying M’s mark
KANSAS CITY, MO. James Paxton tied a Mariners record by winning his seventh straight start as Seattle beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 Friday to move back over .500.
Paxton (12-3) did not allow a hit until Mike Moustakas’ single with one out in the fifth, and Brandon Moss’ two-out single ended Paxton’s scoreless streak at 21 innings.
Paxton gave up two runs and four hits in six innings with one walk, seven strikeouts and a pair of wild pitches.
Scott Bankhead won seven straight starts in 1989 and Jamie Moyer did it in 2003.
David Phelps, Nick Vincent and Edwin Diaz each followed with a perfect inning as Seattle improved to 13-8 since the all-star break.
Diaz got his 22nd save.
Jason Hammel (5-9) gave up three runs and six hits in 61/3 innings.
Danny Valencia drove in Jean Segura with sacrifice flies in the first and eighth innings.
Paxton’s wild pitch in the sixth scored Whit Merrifield and gave Kansas City a 2-1 lead.
Merrifield doubled and advanced to third on Lorenzo Cain’s single.
Guillermo Heredia’s tying double chased Hamel in a three-run seventh, and Jarrod Dyson and Leonys Martin hit RBI singles off Ryan Buchter.
Robinson Cano’s first-inning double was his 500th.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: DH Nelson Cruz was a late scratch with neck spasms ... INF/OF Shawn O’Malley was activated from the 60-day DL and optioned to triple-A Tacoma. O’Malley had an appendectomy in March and an arthroscopic right shoulder procedure in May. He hit .311 with two home runs in 14 minor-league rehab games ... The Mariners sent RHP Christian Bergman outright to Tacoma. Royals: C Salvador Perez left after feeling discomfort in his side while swinging in the sixth inning and was replaced by Drew Butera.