Cruz’s 10th-inning single lifts Mariners past Yankees 6-5
Published 1:30 am Saturday, July 22, 2017
Associated Press
SEATTLE — Nelson Cruz hit a winning single off Adam Warren in the 10th inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the New York Yankees 6-5 Saturday night after Edwin Diaz allowed a tying hit to Ronald Torreyes in the ninth.
Masahiro Tanaka had another shaky outing and New York trailed 4-2 before Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 32nd home run, a sixth inning drive against Steve Cishek. Matt Holliday’s sacrifice fly tied the score in the eighth, but former Yankees Robinson Cano homered against David Robertson leading off the bottom half.
Diaz blew a save for the fourth time in 22 chances when Didi Gregorius walked leading off the ninth, pinch-runner Jacoby Ellsbury stole second and Torreyes, starting because Starlin Castro’s ailing right hamstring is causing another trip to the disabled list, followed with a single.
Ben Gamel opened the 10th with a double against Warren (2-2), Cano was intentionally walked and Cruz lined a pitch to left for his AL-leading 75th RBI.
Tony Zych (4-2) pitched a perfect 10th, throwing called third strikes past Clint Frazier and Judge.
New York, which won the first two games of the four-game series, heads into Sunday 0-8-2 in series since sweeping Baltimore from June 9-11.
Tanaka allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings, raising his ERA to 5.37.
Mike Zunino and Ben Gamel hit solo homers in a four-run third against Tanaka, who has allowed 26 homers — one more than his previous big league high.
Danny Valencia and Mitch Haniger hit run-scoring singles in the inning.
RHP David Phelps, acquired from Miami on Thursday for four minor leaguers, made his Mariners debut in the seventh inning and retired all four hitters he faced.
