CLEVELAND — This makes three starts now for Seattle Mariners lefty Wade Miley and three disappointing efforts. On Tuesday, he failed to make it through the fourth inning in a 3-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians.
That Miley (0-2) only gave up three runs is deceptively kind, too. He allowed nine hits and four walks in his 32⁄3 innings. Double plays in each of Cleveland’s first three innings limited the damage.
It also, tellingly, trimmed Miley’s ERA from 8.25 to 8.04.
“The first two starts,” he said, “I went to bed at night knowing that if I made a pitch…one pitch here or one pitch there, the inning (would be different). I wasn’t as frustrated with that.
“Tonight is frustrating. I’d rather guys hit doubles. Give us a chance to make a play (rather) than walk four guys like that. That’s the one you lose sleep over.”
Miley had not walked a batter in 15 previous innings this season when he inexplicably lost the strike zone in the fourth inning after Marlon Byrd’s one-out single.
Successive walks to Juan Uribe and Collin Cowgill, the latter on four pitches, loaded the bases. Another walk, to Rajai Davis, who swung at two borderline pitches, forced in a run.
Miley struck out Jason Kipnis but then issued another run-scoring walk, to Francisco Lindor, that boosted Cleveland’s lead to 3-0. That fourth walk finished Miley
“I lost it,” he said. “I wish I could have found a pitch I could throw over the plate,” he said. “I tried them all. … It’s got to be better. Point blank. It’s just got to be better.”
Much the same could be said of the Mariners’ attack after managing just six hits against Carlos Carrasco (2-0) and the Tribe bullpen. This marked the ninth time in 13 games that the Mariners scored fewer than four runs.
They are 1-8 in those games.
“We had some chances early in the game,” manager Scott Servais said. “Carrasco is good, obviously. We just couldn’t get the big two-out hit there.”
The Mariners were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Carrasco gave up Kyle Seager’s two-out homer in the sixth inning and exited after Leonys Martin’s one-out double in the seventh. Zach McAlister protected the two-run lead by retiring the next two batters.
Brian Shaw and Cody Allen closed out Cleveland’s victory. Allen gave up one run in the ninth before securing his fourth save in four chances.
Mike Montgomery replaced Miley in the fourth and went to a full count on his first hitter, Napoli, before getting an inning-ending grounder to third.
Montgomery and Tony Zych kept the Mariners within range by combining for 41⁄3 scoreless innings.
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