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 "Any time you get two-out RBIs on the road, they're golden, and you
usually win games," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said.
The Mariners' victory came after the Rockies erupted for three runs
in the ninth. When first baseman Ben Paulsen doubled home two runs
and catcher Nick Hundley drove in a run with a single, the Rockies
had runners on first and third with one out against Carson Smith.
The Seattle closer struck out pinch hitter Michael McKenry and
earned his 10th save by getting center fielder Charlie Blackmon to
fly out.
"I knew my job was either to get a double-play ball or a strikeout,"
Smith said of his confrontation with McKenry. "Those were my two
options. I got ahead with a slider and finished with a slider (on a
1-2 pitch)."
The Mariners packed seven runs in the first three innings while
punishing Eddie Butler.
After allowing four runs in the first, the right-hander gave up
back-to-back homers to third baseman Kyle Seager and left fielder
Nelson Cruz in the second and yielded a homer to shortstop Brad
Miller in the third. The three homers allowed were a career high for
Butler (3-8).
"I didn't have a feel for much today," Butler said. "The fastball
was the only thing I could put in the zone with any authority. I had
one pitch, and they were able to hit it."
Mariners starter Felix Hernandez (13-6) yielded four runs and a
season-high 11 hits while throwing 111 pitches in 6 2/3 innings. He
walked one and struck out nine, including second baseman DJ LeMahieu
four times. LeMahieu became the third player in Rockies franchise
history to strike out five times in one game.
"I had good stuff. I had a good fastball," Hernandez said. "I think
I was up just a little bit. That's why they got 11 hits, but I was
able to make pitches when I need to."
Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez said of Hernandez, "He makes a
big pitch when he needs to. We were able to put guys on the
basepaths. At the end, their bullpen was shaky. We just had a really
rough first couple of innings."
The Rockies trimmed Seattle's lead to 7-4 in the sixth, scoring with
two outs when center fielder Charlie Blackmon, who went 4-for-6,
grounded a double inside third base.
The Mariners made it 8-4 on second baseman Robinson Cano's
seventh-inning double. The hit, which dented the padding on the
right field wall, came off Gonzalez Germen, who entered to face Cano
after Christian Bergman issued consecutive two-out walks. That run
proved vital when the Rockies rallied in the ninth against Tom
Wilhelmsen, Rob Rasmussen and then Smith.
"This ballpark is tough," McClendon said. "You're never comfortable.
Anything can go wrong. It's tough to play here."
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Hernandez made his first start against the Rockies, leaving the
Cardinals as the only team he hasn't faced in his career. He gave up
a run in the first when Blackmon led off with a double and shortstop
Jose Reyes, making his home debut with the Rockies, followed with a
run-scoring single.
The Mariners quickly boosted their lead in the second on
back-to-back homers by Seager, his 16th, and Cruz, his 30th. Cruz
homered in a fourth consecutive game.
Miller hit his ninth homer in the third, an opposite-field drive to
left that left Butler bent over with his hands on his knees, visibly
showing his dismay.
The Rockies parlayed four singles into two runs in the fourth. One
run scored when Blackmon grounded into a fielder's choice with one
out and the bases loaded, and the other scored on Reyes' RBI single.
"We got down 7-1 to one of the best pitchers on the planet," Rockies
manager Walt Weiss said. "It's a tough hill to climb. The energy in
the dugout was good throughout the entire night even when we were
down big."
Ultimately the Rockies, who were coming off a 2-5 road trip that
included three walk-off losses, fell short. Four of their past five
defeats have been by one run.
NOTES: Mariners RF Nelson Cruz extended his hitting streak to 14
games. ... Rockies RHP Jon Gray, the third overall pick in the 2013
draft, will start Tuesday in his major league debut. He is replacing
injured RHP Kyle Kendrick (right shoulder inflammation) in the
Rockies' rotation. ... Rockies RF Carlos Gonzalez was named National
League Player of the Month for July after hitting .386 with 11
homers, 24 RBIs and an .841 slugging percentage during the month.
... Rockies RHP Chad Bettis (right elbow) will throw about 15
pitches in a bullpen session Tuesday, his first since he went on the
disabled list July 19. ... Mariners 2B Robinson Cano sufficiently
recovered from an abdominal strain to start in the field. He missed
three games from July 29-31 and then served as the Mariners' DH on
Saturday and Sunday at Minnesota. ... Ketel Marte played center
field for Seattle for the first time after making his major league
debut at second base Friday and starting three games at that
position in Cano's absence.
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