Out of Right Field: Recap, takeaways from the Seattle Mariners’ 5-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles
Wade LeBlanc pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Baltimore Orioles 5-2 on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.
Omar Narvaez and Domingo Santana hit home runs as the Mariners put together back-to-back wins for the first time since May 13-14 against Oakland after defeating Kansas City 8-2 on Wednesday. Santana homered twice in that game.
Baltimore lost its ninth straight game.
LeBlanc (4-2) allowed four hits, walked two and struck out seven. Fellow left-hander Roenis Elias pitched the ninth for his eighth save of the season.
The Orioles scored twice in the first off right-hander Tayler Scott, the Mariners’ opener. The Mariners got a run back in the second as Narvaez led off with a solo shot to right field, his 11th home run of the season.
It remained 2-1 until the sixth, when Seattle took the lead with three runs.
With one out, Santana hit a solo shot to right-center field, his 16th of the season. Daniel Vogelbach, Narvaez and Kyle Seager followed with line-drive singles, the latter scoring Vogelbach with the go-ahead run. Right-hander Evan Phillips replaced Bundy and struck out Tim Beckham on a 3-2 count before Mac Williamson grounded a run-scoring single to right to give the Mariners a 4-2 lead.
Seattle tacked on a run in the seventh. Mallex Smith led off with an infield single and J.P. Crawford walked. After Santana struck out, Phillips was relieved by left-hander Paul Fry. Vogelbach fanned for the second out before Narvaez walked to load the bases and Seager walked on a 3-2 count to force in a run for the final margin.
Of note
OF Mitch Haniger, on the 10-day injured list with a ruptured testicle, likely won’t be back until after the All-Star break, manager Scott Servais said. Haniger has started doing some light work in the weight room but hasn’t yet been cleared to run or do any baseball activities. Haniger was injured June 6 when he fouled a ball off himself. … OF Jake Fraley, one of the Mariners’ top prospects, was promoted to Triple-A Tacoma. Fraley, acquired as part of the offseason deal that sent C Mike Zunino to Tampa Bay, hit .313 with 11 HRs and 47 RBIs at Double-A Arkansas.
By the numbers
1: The Mariners’ major-league rank in players (51), pitchers (33) and relievers (28) used this season. They’re second with 12 starting pitchers used.
Our take from Right Field
The M’s have a two-game winning streak for the first time in five weeks. Is it too soon to consider a ticker-tape parade down Edgar Martinez Drive?
Up next
The M’s continue a four-game series against Baltimore at 7:10 p.m. Friday at T-Mobile Park. RHP Mike Leake (6-6, 4.14 ERA) is scheduled to go against Orioles LHP John Means (6-4, 2.67).