Inside: The Dodgers’ Graterol gets an emotional 2021 debut out of the way.
Taylor Trammell began the day with a .152 batting average. His run as the Seattle Mariners’ everyday center fielder wasn’t long. Kyle Lewis, the reigning American League Rookie of the Year, is scheduled to be activated prior to today’s game against the Dodgers.
Yet it was Trammell who proved to be a thorn in the side of Dustin May in the Dodgers’ 4-3 loss Monday at T-Mobile Park. His home run and double gave the Mariners the margin of victory it needed to send the Dodgers to their first losing streak of 2021.
Mookie Betts, Corey Seager and Justin Turner reached base eight times in 14 plate appearances. The rest of the Dodgers’ lineup went 1 for 21 with two walks. They finished 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position as a team.
Seager’s third home run of the season gave him bragging rights for
MARINERS 4, DODGERS 3 Today: a day over his brother, Kyle, the Mariners’ third baseman who finished 0 for 4. But Seattle got the last laugh.
With one out and a runner on first base in the ninth inning, Mariners pitcher Rafael Montero hit Betts on the right forearm with a 95-mph sinker. Betts stayed in the game, only for Seager to hit into a game-ending double play.
The Dodgers (13-4) played from behind all night.
In the bottom of the first inning May (1-1) allowed a one-out single to Ty France, and a two-out home run to Jose Marmolejos, giving Seattle a 2-0 lead. In the second inning Trammell launched his third home run of 2021, an oppositefield shot to left-center, and the Dodgers trailed 3-0.
Corey Seager got a couple runs back with one swing. Mookie Betts swatted a double against Mariners starter Justus Sheffield (1-1) in the third inning. Seager hit the very next pitch 425 feet to center field, a two-run home run.
The next batter, Turner, worked the count full before hitting a double to left field. But Sheffield struck out Will Smith on three called strikes, stranding the potential tying run at second base. Smith went 0 for 4 out of the cleanup hole.
May allowed one more run before his evening was done, but it wasn’t entirely his fault. Luis Torrens hit a routine ground ball to Chris Taylor at second base. The ball caromed off the heel of Taylor’s glove for an error. With Torrens at first, Trammell sliced a double into right field, driving in the Mariners’ fourth run.
The run-scoring hits May allowed came against his sinker, fourseamer and cut fastball. All eight of his strikeouts came against his curveball. May threw 92 pitches and induced 13 swings and misses — eight on the curve.