Out of Right Field: Recap, takeaways from the Seattle Mariners’ 3-2 victory against the Detroit Tigers

Mallex Smith lined a run-scoring single to right field with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Seattle Mariners rallied to defeat the visiting Detroit Tigers 3-2 Friday night.

The Mariners have won three straight games for the first time since June 19-21.

Brandon Dixon and John Hicks hit home runs for the Tigers, who have lost four in a row and dropped to 2-12 since the All-Star break.

With the score tied at 2-2 in the ninth, the Tigers brought in right-hander Jose Cisnero. Kyle Seager led off by grounding a single into center field and was sacrificed to second. Pinch-hitter Omar Narvaez was intentionally walked. Pinch-hitter Ryan Court lined out to left field for the second out before a wild pitch by Cisnero allowed the runners to advance to second and third. Smith then lined a 3-2 pitch into right for the winner.

Mariners left-hander Roenis Elias (3-2) pitched one scoreless inning for the victory.

Tigers right-hander Daniel Norris, who was seeking his first victory in 13 starts since May 12 at Minnesota, opened with six scoreless innings but was knocked out of the game in the seventh.

All-Star Daniel Vogelbach led off the home half of the seventh with a double to right-center field. Tom Murphy then hit a 2-2 pitch from Norris over the wall in left-center field, his 10th, to tie the score at 2-2.

Norris allowed two runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings, with one walk and eight strikeouts.

Mariners left-hander Yusei Kikuchi went 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out four.

Of note

2B Tim Lopes, who was beaned with a 91-mph fastball in his first major-league start Thursday, was placed on the 7-day concussion list. The M’s selected IF Ryan Court from Triple-A Tacoma, where he was batting .279 with nine HRs and 37 RBIs in 37 games and also transferred IF Ryon Healy (lower back stiffness) to the 60-day injured list.

By the numbers

2-39: The M’s record when scoring three or fewer runs. They had lost 39 in a row in those situations before Friday’s comeback.

Our take from Right Field

The Mariners aren’t the worst team in the American League. Detroit, Baltimore and Toronto all have poorer records.

Up next

The M’s continue their four-game series with the Detroit Tigers at 1:10 p.m. Saturday at T-Mobile Park. LHP Marco Gonzales (11-8, 4.37 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Tigers LHP Tyler Alexander (0-0, 2.25).