Mariners Sweep Pitiful Reds, Return Home Against A’s
By Ben Renner
The Mariners took care of business against the last-place Cincinnatti Reds over the weekend, sweeping them in three games.
The series-opener against the Cincinnatti Reds didn’t start well. Starter Hisashi Iwakuma gave up three early runs and Reds’ starter Dan Straily only allowed one run on two hits after withstanding some bumps in the first two innings. However, you can always count on the awful Reds bullpen to squander the lead, and squander it they did, in a big way.
With the Reds still leading in the seventh, Cincinnatti manager and former longtime Mariners pitching coach under Lou Piniella Bryan Price sent out Blake Wood, who loaded the bases and walked in a run without recording an out. Former starter Tony Cingrani then hit Robinson Cano with a pitch and served up a two-out, two-run single to pinch hitter Dae-Ho Lee. Just for fun, the Mariners blasted two solo home runs in the ninth inning off of Jumbo Diaz–by Lee and Nelson Cruz. The Mariners won game one 8-3. Kuma got the win despite his early lumps.
On a night in which the Reds honored Hall of Famer and former Mariners great Ken Griffey Jr., Felix Hernandez spun six innings of scoreless ball, working around three walks and four hits while striking out five.
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Franklin Gutierrez blasted a 473-foot, three-run home run in the fourth inning and the Mariners cruised to a 4-0 win. Shortstop Ketel Marte stole second and third in the fifth inning, but came away with a sprained thumb. He has since been placed on the Disabled List.
The Mariners eked out a 5-4 win in the series finale to sweep the Reds by scoring three runs in the fifth inning. Down 4-2 entering the inning, Cano brought in Leonys Martin with a sacrifice fly, Kyle Seager knocked in a run with single, and backup catcher Steve Clevenger brought in the go-ahead run with a single. Wade Miley allowed four runs on eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts and got the win.
The Mariners will open a home series against the Oakland A’s tonight at 7:10. Taijuan Walker will face the A’s Rich Hill.