LDN - Sports

Dyson, Mariners run past White Sox

[May 19, 2017] SEATTLE -- When Jarrod Dyson gets on base for the Seattle Mariners, the opponent is in trouble.

"He's his most comfortable than at any point in his day when he's on first base," Mariners manager Scott Servais said, "because everybody else is uncomfortable."

That certainly was the case Thursday night, as Dyson scored three times, including the winning run from second base on pinch hitter Guillermo Heredia's two-out single to right field in the ninth inning as the Mariners defeated the Chicago White Sox 5-4.

"I know Dyson is fast, so I just tried to get a pitch to hit," Heredia said with batting practice pitcher Nasusel Cabrera as his translator.

Taylor Motter led off the ninth with a single against Chicago reliever Dan Jennings (2-1). Dyson tried to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but Jennings bounded off the mound and forced Motter at second.

Carlos Ruiz grounded to third baseman Todd Frazier for what might have been an inning-ending double play, but Dyson, who was running on the play, beat the throw to second with Ruiz retired at first. After an intentional walk to Jean Segura, Heredia came on for Ben Gamel and lined a single to right field, with Dyson easily racing home.

It was the only run of the game that didn't score via a homer. Dyson and Segura went deep for Seattle, while Matt Davidson, Frazier and Tim Anderson homered for Chicago.

Nick Vincent (2-1) threw one perfect inning to earn the win.

Dyson also created havoc in a three-run Seattle fifth. He singled with two outs and then stole second and third, creating so much commotion that White Sox starter Dylan Covey walked Ruiz, the No. 9 hitter in the Mariners' order.

"That changed the whole dynamic of the inning," said shortstop Segura, who followed with a three-run blast to left field, giving Seattle a 4-0 lead.

"Any time I get to first base, it's a good thing," said Dyson, who surpassed Kansas City's Lorenzo Cain for the American League lead in steals with his 12th. "That puts pressure on the defense. That's why they acquired me; that's my job."

Dyson also hit his second homer of the season, a solo shot off Covey in the third.

The late-game heroics overshadowed the first major league start by the Mariners' Sam Gaviglio. The right-hander pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and one walk. He struck out two.

"I dreamed of playing here when I was a kid," said Gaviglio, a native of Ashland, Ore. "I just wanted to give the team a chance to win tonight."

Gaviglio did that, leaving with a 4-0 lead before the Seattle bullpen led Chicago rally to tie the game.

The White Sox pulled within 4-2 on Davidson's two-run homer off Casey Lawrence, who was making his Mariners debut, in the seventh inning.

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Mariners center fielder Jarrod Dyson (1) is greeted outside the dugout by shortstop Jean Segura (2, right), hitting coach Edgar Martinez (11, left) and designated hitter Nelson Cruz (23) after hitting a solo-homer against the Chicago White Sox during the third inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

After retiring the first two batters in the eighth, Seattle reliever Dan Altavilla allowed back-to-back solo homers by Frazier and Anderson to tie it.

"We don't want to continue to have these types of losses," said White Sox manager Rick Renteria, whose club has dropped seven straight on the road, including all four to open its 10-game trip. "Obviously, they don't quit.

"The one thing you want to make sure to do, when you're having games like this, is ultimately to try to finish them up. That puts the icing on the cake."

Covey almost didn't make it out of the first inning, but not because he was pitching poorly.

With one out, Nelson Cruz lined a one-hopper to the mound that glanced off Covey's right knee and caromed right to second baseman Yolmer Sanchez, who completed the 1-4-3 groundout.

White Sox trainer Herm Schneider and Renteria came out to check on Covey, who remained in the game after a couple of warmup pitches to make sure he was OK.

Covey wound up permitting four runs on five hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out one.

"I think overall that might have been his best outing," Renteria said. "I think the relief corps did a nice job. Jennings had as good a chance of being able to get Heredia out as anybody else. Again, the guys battled back to put us in a position to potentially out on top."

NOTES: White Sox CF Leury Garcia was taken out of the game in the fifth inning after being hit by a pitch from Seattle RHP Sam Gaviglio. Garcia was diagnosed with a bruised right elbow and was listed as day-to-day. ... Seattle SS Jean Segura extended his career-high hitting streak to 17 games with his three-run homer in the fifth inning. ... White Sox SS Tim Anderson went 3-for-4, his fourth consecutive multi-hit game. ... Gaviglio was the 10th Mariner pitcher to start a game this season, the most in the majors.

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