SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners opened the scoring in Saturday night’s game against the San Francisco Giants by exhibiting their power.
They finished it off with timely hitting from pinch hitter Franklin Gutierrez and shortstop Brendan Ryan. The final result was a 7-4 victory and the end of a six-game losing streak.
“It was really good to see us swing the bats tonight,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. “We came out strong in the first inning with a couple of big balls. Then you look at the middle of the game, stringing a couple of innings together and getting a couple of big hits.”
Gutierrez, who pinch hit for designated hitter John Jaso with the bases loaded, broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning with an infield RBI-single that scored Jesus Montero. Ryan didn’t waste time giving the Mariners a little separation from the Giants. He sent the first pitch he saw from relief pitcher Jeremy Affeldt back up the middle to give the Mariners a three-run advantage.
Ryan has been struggling offensively, batting just .165 for the season, but was relieved to help contribute at the plate.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had a hit,” Ryan said with a smile.
“I’m glad the bat stayed in one piece because I will be using it tomorrow,” Ryan added. “It’s nice to be on base, but it’s nice to just contribute in some small way — any other way than defensively.”
Montero’s run was the final run credited to local product and San Francisco starting pitcher Tim Lincecum, who was making his first appearance as a professional at Safeco Field. Lincecum, who starred at the University of Washington, pitched five innings, giving up five hits and five runs. That performance earned him his sixth consecutive loss. He hasn’t won a game since April.
Lincecum got into trouble in the first inning when he gave up solo home runs to Casper Wells and Montero, but quickly settled down. He didn’t give up a hit between the second and the fourth innings and walked just one.
Meanwhile, the Giants got to Seattle starting pitcher Kevin Millwood in the top of the third inning for two runs, though the damage could have been worse.
Shortstop Brandon Crawford doublef down the third-base line to lead off the inning. He advanced to third on a sacrifice by right fielder Gregor Blanco, who reached base on an error by first baseman Justin Smoak. Second baseman Ryan Theriot picked up an RBI with a single to right field that scored Crawford, cutting the Mariners lead to 2-1.
Then Wells made the defensive play of the game on a blooper hit to left field by the Giants’ Melky Cabrera. Wells ran down what would have been a sure double, making a sliding catch near his feet. He then had the presence of mind to throw back to second base where he nearly doubled up Blanco.
Moments later, Blanco advanced to third and Theriot to second on a double steal during Buster Posey’s at-bat. The play proved to be important as Blanco scored on an infield single by Posey to tie the score at 2.
Two straight strikeouts, by Angel Pagan and designated hitter Pablo Sandoval, ended the top half of the third inning before the Giants could do any more damage.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Giants gave Lincecum a 4-2 lead with RBI singles by Theriot and Cabrera.
The lead lasted until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Mariners found a way to get to Lincecum again.
Second baseman Dustin Ackley led off the bottom half of the fifth with a single to right field and Lincecum walked the next batter, Jaso. Ryan followed by laying down a sacrifice bunt that he nearly beat out at first base to set the stage for Ichiro Suzuki. Suzuki came through with an infield single that scored Ackley to bring the Mariners to within one. Jaso advanced to third base on the play, which allowed him to score a few moments later on Lincecum’s wild pitch. Third baseman Kyle Seger and Wells both popped out to end the inning.
Before the door was closed on Lincecum’s night, Montero led off the bottom of the sixth with a single, followed by singles by center fielder Michael Saunders and Ackley, who beat out an infield single at first base by no more than a step.
That set the stage for the heroics of Gutierrez and Ryan.
Montero led the Mariners offense batting 3-for-4 with the home run and two runs scored. Wells and Ryan both finished 2-for-4.
Theriot batted 3-for-5 with two RBI to lead the Giants.
Millwood departed after five innings, giving up nine hits, four runs, three earned runs and striking out four in his first appearance since pitching the first six inning of the Mariners combined no-hitter on June 8 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Millwood took himself out of that game after suffering a groin injury.
Relief pitchers Hisashi Iwakuma, Charlie Furbush and Tom Wilhelmsen pitched the final four innings for the Mariners and didn’t give up a hit.
“The bullpen really had to step up,” Wedge said. “Iwakuma, Furbush and then Wilhelmsen, so those guys did a great job of keeping them (the Giants) where they were.”
Wilhelmsen pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth to pick up his fourth save of the season.
Aaron Lommers covers sports for The Herald. Follow him on twitter @aaronlommers and contact him at alommers@heraldnet.com.
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