SEATTLE — Here, finally, was that complete game the Mariners have been waiting for. A strong outing from their starting pitcher, plenty of muscle from their lineup and no defensive breakdowns.
The result was a 7-1 victory Tuesday over the Cleveland Indians at Safeco Field that snapped a four-game skid.
A new-look Wade Miley (6-2) bounced back from a fortuitous no-decision in his last start — when the Mariners erased a 10-run deficit at San Diego — by pitching seven shutout innings.
“Attack,” Miley said. “I had some things going on mechanically
and (pitching coach) Mel (Stottlemyre Jr.) did a great job of pulling me to the side and working on a few things. Felt a whole lot better out there.”
Nelson Cruz fueled a balanced attack by hitting two home runs, but the game turned when the Mariners, already leading 2-0, capitalized on a two-out gift in the fourth inning.
The Mariners had runners at first and second when Adam Lind hit a sharp grounder to shortstop Francisco Lindor, who handled the ball cleanly before hesitating on the throw.
Lindor appeared to want to go to second for for a force, but Jason Kipnis was overshifted against Lind and not in position. Lind then beat Lindor’s belated throw to first, which loaded the bases.
“I could kind of see the play develop,” Lind said. “Just doing what you do, and what you’re told since you’re a kid, run hard.”
Steve Clevenger followed with a two-run double to right, and Shawn O’Malley backed it up with a two-run triple into left-center gap. The Mariners led 6-0, and the Indians went to the bullpen.
“I had seen Anderson in Cleveland,” Clevenger said. “I was kind of looking for his change-up in that situation. He threw me one out and over the plate that I could handle.”
Cruz’s first homer was a two-out blast in the first inning against Tribe starter Cody Anderson, who was recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Columbus when shoulder fatigue sidelined Danny Salazar.
Anderson (1-4) gave up six runs in 3 2/3 innings.
Cruz’s second homer of the game, and 15th of the season, came with two outs and none aboard in the fifth inning against reliever Jeff Manship.
“He’s in a good spot,” manager Scott Servais said. “He’s seeing the ball really well. When he’s using a big part of the field, and not trying to pull everything, is when he’s on. His timing is really good right now.
“When he rolls, it’s a special bat.”
Joaquin Benoit replaced Miley to start the eighth inning and let the shutout slip away when he yielded a one-out homer to Lonnie Chisenhall. Steve Cishek closed out the victory with a scoreless ninth.
“Miley threw the ball really good,” Cruz said, “and that’s what we need. It’s nice to see the offense wake up. We put all of the tools together.”
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