SEATTLE – Mallex Smith still has things to learn about being an everyday center fielder in the major leagues. But a sure sign that the lessons are starting to sink in came Friday night.
The 26-year-old speedster hit a sharp single up the middle with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to score Kyle Seager and give the Seattle Mariners a 3-2 win over the reeling Detroit Tigers.
It was the first walk-off hit of Smith’s career, and more evidence that he’s maturing.
“I’ve had chances many times before,” Smith said, noting they ended in failure when he tried to swing for the fences. “I just told myself, like, don’t try to be more than who you are. We don’t need a homer, we don’t need a double. We just need a hit. … With age comes knowledge, I guess. Smarter playing, smarter approach.”
In a season filled with far more lows than highs, the young Mariners got a tying, two-run homer from Tom Murphy in the seventh and strong, error-free defense with three timely big plays. Seattle’s bullpen helped the team win its third straight game for the first time since June 19-21.
Detroit has lost four straight and 10 of 11. After winning only five games in June, the 30-win Tigers have just two victories in July and are 1-13 overall against the AL West this season.
Tigers starter Daniel Norris entered the seventh with a 2-0 lead on homers by Brandon Dixon and John Hicks, a former Mariner who also went deep Thursday in the series opener.
The left-hander had been keeping the Mariners at bay with a changeup that Seattle batters weren’t expecting. They finally got to him in the seventh with a leadoff double from Daniel Vogelbach before Murphy hit his 10th home run on a 2-2 pitch.
Norris, who allowed five hits and struck out eight in 6⅓ innings, was matched by Mariners starter Yusei Kikuchi, whose only costly mistakes in the game were the homers.
Seattle’s often porous defense — the Mariners have committed 99 errors this year — came up with two big plays to keep the Tigers off the basepaths for Kikuchi.
First baseman Austin Nola turned an unassisted double play in the fourth after Miguel Cabrera’s leadoff single.
Jeimer Candelario and Niko Goodrum opened the fifth with consecutive singles before Hicks sent a liner to center. Smith charged and made a shoe-top catch, firing quickly to second where Candelario was doubled up.
Kikuchi was pulled after giving up seven hits and striking out four with no walks in 6⅔ innings. Matt Wisler, Anthony Bass and Roenis Elias combined to strike out five in 2⅓ innings, allowing just one hit.
Elias (3-2) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to get the win with help from shortstop J.P. Crawford, who made a diving stab and spinning, no-look throw for the third out.
Red Sox 10, Yankees 5
In Boston, Mookie Betts hit three home runs against James Paxton during the first four innings in Boston’s rout of New York, whose starting pitchers have stumbled this week in historic fashion.
Betts homered on Paxton’s eighth pitch in a three-run first that included J.D. Martinez’s two-run homer, went deep again leading off the third for a 4-0 lead and hit a two-run drive in the fourth for a 7-0 advantage.
Betts added an RBI double in the sixth off David Hale to give him five RBIs and grounded out in the eighth inning.
Marlins 3, Diamondbacks 2
In Miami, rookie Harold Ramirez hit a game-winning sacrifice fly off reliever Yoshihisa Hirano to finish a two-run rally and lift the Marlins over Arizona.
Jorge Alfaro’s sacrifice fly to deep right off closer Greg Holland (1-2) earlier in the ninth scored pinch runner Yadiel Rivera and tied the game.
Orioles 9, Angels 3
In Anaheim, Asher Wojciechowski pitched seven strong innings and Renato Nunez and Trey Mancini homered to lead Baltimore over Los Angeles.
Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani finished 1-for-4, hitting a two-out triple in the fourth inning.
In Other Games
Twins 6, White Sox 2
Giants 2, Padres 1 (11)
Mets 6, Pirates 3
Brewers 3, Cubs 2
Rockies 12, Reds 2
Braves 9, Phillies 2
Rangers 5, Athletics 2
Indians 8, Royals 3
Rays 3, Blue Jays 1
Dodgers 4, Nationals 2
Cardinals 5, Astros 3
Source : Baseball – The Japan Times