Mariners Game Recap: M’s Drop to 1 Game Over .500 After Loss to Tigers

Pax-Man lit up the radar gun again on Tuesday, but the Mariners’ bats failed to support the Canadian southpaw.

The Detroit Tigers scored four runs during the final three innings to beat the Seattle Mariners for the second consecutive night on Tuesday. Bruce Rondon (1-0, 0.00 ERA) notched his first win of the season for the Tigers, and James Paxton (1-3, 3.34 ERA) took a hard luck loss for the Mariners. Francisco Rodriguez allowed the tying run to reach in the ninth, but recovered in time to pick up his 20th save.

James Paxton made the start for the Mariners on Tuesday, and the lanky southpaw was brilliant…until the eighth inning. Pax-Man had the Tigers eating out of the palm of his hand for the first seven frames, but struggled mightily during his final inning of work. The Ladner, BC native exited after allowing 4 runs on 11 hits across 7.2 innings of work. Paxton fanned 5 and issued 3 free passes en route to picking up the loss.

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Unlike last night, when both teams combined to score 15 runs, things were relatively quiet on the offensive front this evening. Neither team was able to push across a run through the first five innings, and it took until the third inning for Seattle to tally their first base hit.

However, the Mariners finally struck in the top of the sixth. Robinson Cano got the rally started with a 1-out single on a line drive to center field. Nelson Cruz flied out for the second out, but Kyle Seager came through with a clutch 2-run home run that sailed over the wall in right field. Seager’s 15th dinger of the season gave the M’s a 2-0 lead.

The floodgates opened after the Mariners burst through in the sixth, as the Tigers got on the scoreboard in the home half of the same inning. Cameron Maybin led off the frame by singling on a ground ball through the left side of the infield. Miguel Cabrera followed by working a walk, but Victor Martinez grounded into a double play. With two out, Nick Castellanos singled home Maybin to make it a 2-1 game.

The Tigers stormed back to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. Paxton retired the first two men he faced, but Jose Iglesias singled to keep the inning alive. Iglesias moved up to second base following a wild pitch, and scored on an Ian Kinsler RBI single.

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Detroit made it three consecutive innings with at least one run scored in the bottom of the eighth inning. Miggy grounded out leading off the frame, but a V-Mart single and Castellanos double put runners on second and third with only one out. Last night’s hero, Justin Upton, was intentionally walked to set up the double play and a force at any base. Unfortunately, Mike Aviles beat out an infield single to give Detroit the lead, and Brian McCann made it 4-2 with a sacrifice fly.

That was it for Paxton, as Scott Servais called on Edwin Diaz to record the final out in the eighth inning. The flame throwing Puerto Rican plunked the first man he faced, but struck out Kinsler to end the threat.

Being that it was a save opportunity, the Tigers turned to their closer, Francisco Rodriguez, to shut the door in the ninth. K-Rod struck out Seager for the first out, and recorded the second out when Adam Lind hit a soft fly ball that found it’s way into Maybin’s glove in center field. Dae-ho Lee and Ketel Marte gave M’s fans hope with a pair of 2-out singles, but Nori Aoki grounded out to end the game.

Next: Justin Upton Leads Tigers Past M’s in Extras

Looking ahead, the Mariners (36-35) will hope for their first victory in the 4-game set with the Detroit Tigers (36-35) on Tuesday night in the Motor City. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 pm PT from Comerica Park. Hisashi Iwakuma (6-5, 4.18 ERA) will get the ball for the Mariners, and rookie phenom, Michael Fulmer (7-2, 2.43 ERA), will be on the bump for the Tigers.