SEATTLE — Even the dramatic move of firing their general manager couldn’t keep the Seattle Mariners from sinking deeper.
Andrew Miller limited the worst team in baseball to one run and six hits over seven innings, and the Florida Marlins manufactured their runs in a 6-1 victory over the Mariners on Monday night.
Just hours after Seattle fired Bill Bavasi, in his fifth season as general manager, the punchless Mariners went out and lost their eighth straight at home, their longest home losing streak in nearly 12 years. They are 22 games under .500 (24-46).
This time it was Miller, the Marlins’ young left-hander, stymieing the Mariners. He matched his career high completing seven innings and while not overpowering, Miller was never hit hard.
Miller (5-5) struck out two and retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced, giving up only singles to Ichiro Suzuki leading off the fifth and Willie Bloomquist starting the seventh. Miller won for the first time in his last five starts.
Luis Gonzalez drove in two runs for the Marlins and Dan Uggla, Jeremy Hermida and Hanley Ramirez all had two hits as Florida rebounded from losing two of three to Tampa Bay over the weekend.
Seattle starter Carlos Silva (3-8) gave up two runs in the first, then left with two outs in the fifth inning, but not on his own accord. Silva was ejected by first base umpire Bill Welke when he became a little too demonstrative arguing a call at first.
With one out and runners on first and third, Hermida grounded into a possible inning-ending double play. But Hermida was called safe at first by Welke, drawing an animated reaction from Silva.
The burly pitcher twice threw his arms in the air and yelled at Welke, who motioned for the right-hander to return to the mound. When he didn’t and continued yelling, Welke ejected Silva.
Replays appeared to show Hermida was out on a close play. Matt Treanor scored on the play to give Florida a 3-1 lead.
The Marlins added a run in the sixth on Cody Ross’ sacrifice fly and then scored two in the seventh behind consecutive RBI singles by Uggla and Gonzalez off reliever Roy Corcoran.
Seattle was held to three runs or less for the eighth time in its last nine games, and twice left runners at third, continuing the problems of converting with runners in scoring position.
With the bases loaded and no outs in the fourth Adrian Beltre scored on Kenji Johjima’s sacrifice fly. But consecutive hard lineouts to right by Bloomquist and Yuniesky Betancourt left Raul Ibanez stranded at third.
In the fifth, Suzuki was at third with one out, but Jose Vidro and Beltre left him there.
Notes: The Marlins were the last major league team to play at
Safeco Field. … Suzuki stole third in the fifth inning, becoming the 28th player since 1901 to record eight seasons with 30 or more steals. … Suzuki moved back to right field from center for the first time since late in the 2006 season.
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