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CLEVELAND — No one would blame the Seattle Mariners’ hitters if they were sorry to leave Progressive Field.
Ryon Healy hit two home runs and had four RBI, Robinson Cano and Mitch Haniger also homered, and the Mariners routed the Cleveland Indians 10-4 Sunday.
Seattle hit 10 home runs in winning three of four in the series. The Mariners reached a season high in runs and hit four homers in Saturday’s 12-4 victory.
“I’m really excited where this club is and where we’re headed,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “We all thought we could do some big things offensively and we’re in a nice groove now.”
With two out in the top of the second inning, the Mariners ripped four consecutive hits, starting with Healy’s double to the left-field wall and ending with Robinson Cano’s homer over the right-field wall. It was Cano’s 100th homer as a Mariner.
Just like that, Seattle was up 5-0.
This is the batting order the M’s envisioned this offseason when they acquired Dee Gordon (who was 4-for-5 Sunday) and Healy via trades. They had all their pieces healthy for the first time when they began this OVERSET FOLLOWS:series Thursday.
In their four games with their full lineup, the Mariners scored 32 runs (8.0 per game). And keep in mind, two of those games were against Carlos Carrasco and two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber.
“It’s dangerous one-through-nine,” Healy said. “I think we’re showing there’s really no holes in our lineup.”
Healy had an RBI double in the second inning, hit a solo homer in the sixth and added a two-run shot in the eighth. He also homered Saturday after being activated before the series following nearly three weeks on the disabled list with a sprained ankle. He was 6-for-16 after managing just two hits in 22 at-bats before he was injured.
“I’m definitely off to a better start so far,” he said. “I’ve got to continue to build on that.”
Haniger’s solo shot in the ninth was his 10th of the season, tying him him for the major-league lead, and he has 27 RBI. The 27-year-old, third-year player had 21 career homers in 478 at-bats before this season.
The Mariners finished their 10-game road trip with a 7-3 record and improved to 16-11, their best start to a season since they were 17-10 in 2003.
Yet, Sunday wasn’t all about the offense.
Former Gonzaga University pitcher Marco Gonzales pitched six innings for the second consecutive start, allowing six hits and two runs and striking out four.
But instead of letting him try to become just the second Mariners starting pitcher to throw at least seven innings this eason, Servais pulled him after 89 pitches.
“We thought he did his job,” Servais said. “Pitched six innings and with an off day tomorrow we were able to go to the pen and keep those guys sharp as well.”
Dan Altavilla loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batter in the seventh, and was replaced by James Pasos. Jose Ramirez was credited with a two-run double after his fly ball to left popped out of Ben Gamel’s glove as Gamel tried to make a diving catch on the warning track.
The play was originally ruled a catch, but was overturned after Indians manager Terry Francona challenged the call. Yan Gomes and Jason Kipnis scored. Francisco Lindor, who was on first base, hadn’t reached third when the ball was thrown in. He was placed at third after the review.
Francona said third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh was waving Lindor to the plate.
“Sarby was bringing Frankie all the way,” Francona said. “It was hard to understand why we would lose a run there.”
Crew chief Mark Wegner told a pool reporter that the placement of the runners is determined by the replay official.
Pasos kept Lindor at third when he speared Michael Brantley’s hard grounder to the mound and threw to first for the inning-ending out.
