SEATTLE — Franklin Gutierrez’s two-run single off Chicago closer Bobby Jenks in the bottom of the 11th inning sent the Seattle Mariners to a 2-1 victory over the stunned White Sox on Wednesday night.
Jenks’ second last-inning meltdown in four days trimmed Chicago’s lead over Minnesota and Detroit to 2½ games in the AL Central.
Ageless Omar Vizquel looked like the star after singling home Gordon Beckham with two outs in the top of the 11th for the game’s first run.
But Jenks (1-3) allowed a bunt single up the first-base line by Seattle’s Jack Wilson leading off the bottom of the inning.
Ichiro Suzuki sacrificed him to second. Wilson advanced to third on a line-drive single by Chone Figgins. Figgins then stole second to put the potential winning run in scoring position before fading Gutierrez, the Mariners’ recently fading No. 3 hitter, lined a single to center field for Seattle’s first runs in 27 innings dating to the first inning of Monday’s series opener.
Alex Rios’ throw home was late and cut off in the infield. Figgins slid across the plate and then ran to join his teammates’ mobbing of Gutierrez past first base — a rare Seattle celebration in this lost summer of last-place baseball.
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