Mariners Seven-Run Third Inning Carries Seattle Past Boston 10-8
The Seattle Mariners held on late to win the series against Boston three games to one. On Sunday, both starting pitchers, Wade LeBlanc for Seattle and Rick Porcello for Boston, had a tough afternoon. Fortunately, the Mariners scored seven runs in the third inning, which helped pace Seattle to their fifth win of the season.
In the previous two games, the Red Sox struggled to get on the board first. However, Sunday the Sox started hot. J.D. Martinez’s RBI single scored Rafael Devers to put Boston up, 1-0.
The Sox wanted to keep it going, and Eduardo Nunez did just that with a two RBI single to put the visitors up 3-0 in the first inning.
Despite the early hole, the Mariners responded in the bottom of the second inning with a bases loaded shot from Dee Gordon. The RBI Single scored two for the M’s, 3-2 Sox.
Seattle starter Wade LeBlanc kept the Red Sox off the board in the third inning, but Rick Porcello couldn’t do the same for Boston. M’s catcher Omar Narveaz smoked a three-run home run to right field gave the Mariners their first lead, 5-3.
The bottom of the third was the inning of Seattle. After the Narvaez blast, Tim Beckham got on base and eventually got to third so Gordon could bring him home on a sacrifice fly, M’s 6-3.
Porcello didn’t make it out of the third inning after Mallex Smith drove in a run. The lead ran up to four for the Mariners, 7-3.
Seattle batted around in the third inning, when Mitch Haniger came up to the plate for the second time in the third. Haniger’s double scored two and put the M’s up 9-3.
The six-run bonanza in the third for Seattle put Boston on notice. However, the Red Sox still have one of the best lineups in baseball, and J.D. Martinez picked up three more RBI with a three-run shot to left field in the fourth, 9-6 M’s still led.
In the bottom of the fourth, veteran Jay Bruce got one back with a blast of his own, M’s 10-6.
2018 AL MVP, Mookie Betts, got his first home run of the season in the top of the sixth. M’s led 10-7.
What’s becoming an unfortunate trend, the Mariners bullpen made things exciting in the ninth inning. The Red Sox loaded the bases on walks, and then scored a run on a bases loaded walk, 10-8 Mariners still led.
Chasen Bradford stepped in for Seattle and finished off the game, with the bases loaded and struck out Christian Vazquez. Then with two outs, Jackie Bradley Jr. sent a ground ball to Dee Gordon to end it.
The Mariners held on by the skin of their teeth to beat Boston 10-8. Seattle is now 5-1 on the season. Next up the Mariners play the LA Angels in a quick two-game series starting on Monday.
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