|
 Dustin Ackley had three hits and scored three runs, and surging
Seattle outlasted Boston 8-6 to finish off the series sweep of the
Red Sox on Sunday.
"That's probably the best word I can probably think of is very
draining," said Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon. "It was a tough
day in a lot of different ways for us, but in the end we got the
win, so that makes everything OK."
It was Seattle's first-ever sweep of a three- or four-game series at
Fenway in 63 all-time meetings between the clubs.
And it hardly was easy.
Seattle scored five times with two outs in the ninth inning Friday
to stun Boston 5-3, and then overcame an early three-run hole
Saturday with a seven-run fourth inning en route to a 7-3 victory.
As the game neared the four-hour mark Sunday, Seattle closer
Fernando Rodney loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but
struck out designated hitter Kelly Johnson to finish off his 38th
save.
"I think this had to be the craziest series we've been in this year
just as far as back and forth, coming from behind, scoring a lot of
runs, rallying. All that's huge," said Ackley, who is 13-for-25 in
six games against Boston this season. "How we rallied and how we
came back, that's big confidence builders for the rest of the
season."
Center fielder Austin Jackson had two hits and scored twice, and
third baseman Kyle Seager and second baseman Brad Miller had two
RBIs apiece for the Mariners, who have won 14 of their last 18 games
to match their win total (71) for all of last season.
"I think we just got the last blow in," McClendon said. "That's what
happened, because they were coming back and we came back and they
came back, and we were able to hold on."
Left fielder Yoenis Cespedes went 3-for-4 with a walk and third
baseman Will Middlebrooks drove in three runs for the Red Sox, who
have lost eight straight games.
The Red Sox left 15 men on base and have stranded 76 runners during
their current slide.
Boston designated hitter David Ortiz left the game in the sixth
inning with a right foot contusion after fouling a pitch off his
foot in the fourth.
Red Sox manager John Farrell said Ortiz is day-to-day.
"Anytime you lose David Ortiz out of your lineup, it's a hole," he
said. "It's someone that we miss that's been a main cog in our
lineup daily year to date. Hopefully this is just a short-lived loss
in the lineup for him."
Trailing 5-3 after jumping out to a 3-0 lead, the Mariners crept
within one in the fourth on right fielder Chris Denorfia's sacrifice
fly and took a 6-5 lead in the fifth on left fielder Ackley's RBI
triple and Miller's sacrifice fly.
After Seager's RBI single in the eighth made it 7-5, Boston got one
back in the bottom half on Johnson's RBI double, but Johnson was
stranded on third when Tom Wilhelmsen struck out right fielder Allen
Craig.
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Miller added an RBI double in the ninth.
Seattle starter Hisashi Iwakuma lasted a season-low 2 1/3 innings, but
six relievers held the Red Sox to one run the rest of the way.
Dominic Leone (7-2) earned the win with 2 2/3 hitless innings.
The Mariners tallied five hits off Allen Webster in the first, taking a
3-0 lead on consecutive RBI singles by designated hitter Kendrys
Morales, Seager and first baseman Logan Morrison.
But Boston answered with three runs off Iwakuma in the second, and then
chased him in the third.
"I couldn't find a good rhythm on the mound," Iwakuma said through a
translator. "I was able to throw strikes but I wasn't able to execute
when I needed to and that kind of cost me today."
Cespedes delivered Boston's first run on a base hit and Middlebrooks
tied the game with a two-run single.
The Red Sox took the lead in the third on first baseman Mike Napoli's
groundout, and Iwakuma's afternoon was over after allowing an RBI double
to Middlebrooks that staked Boston to a 5-3 edge.
After giving up two runs in his previous four starts, Iwakuma allowed a
season high-tying five runs on six hits. The right-hander walked one and
struck out one.
Webster (3-2) lasted 4 1/3 innings, yielding six runs on eight hits with
two walks and five strikeouts.
NOTES: Boston RHP Brandon Workman was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket
before the game. Workman allowed seven runs on 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings
of a 7-3 loss to Seattle on Saturday. RHP Heath Hembree was called up to
take his spot. ... Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts sat out a second straight
game Sunday and was placed on the seven-day concussion DL after getting
hit in the head with a pitch Friday night. Boston called up 3B Carlos
Rivero to take his spot on the roster ... Seattle RHP Hisashi Iwakuma
had his 17 2/3 scoreless innings streak snapped with two outs in the
first. ... Seattle 2B Robinson Cano walked off the field during the
bottom of the third inning and was replaced by Brad Miller. The team
announced that Cano left with dizziness, and manager Lloyd McClendon
said it likely is just a 24-hour stomach bug.
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