The Seattle Mariners can extend their winning streak to three games when they face the visiting Boston Red Sox in the final contest of a four-game series Sunday.
After dropping the opener 6-4 Thursday, Seattle prevailed 1-0 Friday and then scored three runs in the bottom of the 10th inning to earn a 4-3 victory on Saturday. Boston took a 3-1 lead in the top of the 10th, but Seattle answered against Joely Rodriguez in the bottom half of the inning. Julio Rodriguez had the game-winning hit, which drove in Josh Rojas.
“(Julio Rodriguez is) a different animal right now,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “He’s gained a lot of confidence, trust in himself in those moments, and if you go through it and have some success doing it a certain way it ain’t going to leave him, that’s for sure.”
Boston manager Alex Cora said closer Kenley Jansen was unavailable to pitch Saturday because of back tightness.
“He came in today (and) felt a little bit tight,” Cora said. “We decided not to use him.”
Boston made two errors in the loss, both of which contributed to Seattle runs.
Starting pitching was a question mark for the Red Sox entering the season, but it hasn’t been a problem thus far. Boston’s starting pitchers have given up four runs (three earned), walked one and struck out 19 in 17 innings so far.
“It’s been great,” Cora said. “I know it’s still early, it’s only three games, but we feel pretty comfortable the way they’ve been approaching the games, the way they’ve been throwing the ball.”
Seattle is scheduled to start right-hander Bryce Miller on Sunday. Miller lost his only career start against the Red Sox, allowing six runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings during a 6-4 loss to Boston last August, when he surrendered home runs to Alex Verdugo and Reese McGuire.
Miller will be facing a Red Sox team that has struck out 33 times in three games.
Right-hander Garrett Whitlock is Boston’s scheduled starter. Although Whitlock has been more effective as a reliever (2.65 ERA) than a starter (4.76) during his first three MLB seasons, he was penciled into the starting rotation after Lucas Giolito was lost for the season due to elbow surgery.
Whitlock had elbow trouble last season, when he made 10 starts before he was moved to the bullpen. He finished the season with a 5.15 ERA in 71 2/3 innings.
“I think that’s what’s given me the confidence going forward,” Whitlock said. “I’ve had a healthy offseason. I’m feeling good, and so it’s just knowing that I put the work in in the offseason to make sure that I give myself the best opportunity to just stay healthy moving forward.”
Whitlock has allowed 12 hits and five runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Mariners during his career, but has not figured in a decision.
Boston third baseman Rafael Devers has missed the past two games with shoulder soreness, but Cora said Devers should be able to play Sunday. Devers had a two-run home run and a double during Boston’s 6-4 victory Thursday.
–Field Level Media