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 With a second chance to shine, Miller is making the most of his
opportunity.
The second-year player delivered again Monday night, when he drove
in Seattle's first three runs -- two of them coming on a go-ahead
triple in the eighth inning -- to lead the Mariners to a 4-1 win
over the Houston Astros.
With the victory, the Mariners (79-64) closed within one game of the
Oakland A's for the first American League wild-card spot. Seattle
maintained a half-game lead on the Detroit Tigers for the second
wild card.
"We still have 20 or so games left, and my goal coming into the year
was to play in October," Miller said after going 2-for-4. "We're in
the thick of it, so it's everything you could ask for."
Miller, a starting shortstop turned utility infielder turned platoon
player, lined a Tony Sipp pitch into right-center field to turn a
1-1 tie into a 3-1 lead. He came home on center fielder Austin
Jackson's RBI single in the next at-bat. Miller also hit an RBI
single in the sixth to give Seattle a 1-0 lead.
Since Aug. 11, when Miller began splitting time with rookie Chris
Taylor at shortstop following a prolonged stint on the bench, Miller
is hitting .359.
"I've said all along, and a lot of people said I was crazy, that I
believe he's an offensive player in this league," manager Lloyd
McClendon said of Miller, who was hitting .204 when the Mariners
called up Taylor and eventually gave him the full-time starting job.
"He struggled a little bit early, but he's starting to pay off now."
Miller got a chance to be the hero in the eighth after Houston's
bullpen delivered back-to-back, one-out walks to catcher Mike Zunino
and right fielder Michael Saunders. Pinch runner James Jones, who
came on for Zunino, stole second and third base, leaving runners on
the corners when Miller stepped to the plate with one out.
He hit Sipp's 2-1 pitch toward the right-center-field gap. Houston
right fielder Jake Marisnick was playing a step or two in because of
the runner at third base. The ball rolled all the way to the wall,
bringing home Jones and Saunders.
"(Marisnick) was playing me pretty shallow," Miller said. "I was
just hoping it would get by him."
Mariners closer Fernando Rodney survived two ninth-inning hits to
earn his 44th save of the season. Seattle reliever Danny Farquhar
(3-1) got the win after pitching a scoreless eighth inning.
Houston reliever Michael Foltynewicz (0-1) was charged with the loss
after walking the only batter he faced on a night when the Astros
(63-81) used seven pitchers and walked six batters.
"The walks caught up with us tonight," said Houston interim manager
Tom Lawless, who fell to 4-2 since replacing Bo Porter.
Seattle starter Felix Hernandez threw six scoreless innings and
allowed just five hits but struggled at times with his command. He
needed 99 pitches to get through the sixth, leaving with a 1-0 lead.
Hernandez struck out eight and walked four.
"My command was not there a little bit," Hernandez said, "but I made
adjustments and threw strikes."
Houston starter Brad Peacock struck out six and didn't allow a run
over his five-inning, 92-pitch outing. Since Aug. 22, Peacock has
lowered his ERA from 5.47 to 4.80.
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"He did his job," Lawless said. "He battled the best pitcher in baseball
and left it a tied game."
Miller ended 15 consecutive scoreless innings for Seattle with a
two-out, RBI single in the sixth. Miller drove in teammate Logan
Morrison from second base to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead.
Houston left fielder Robbie Grossman tied the score twice in the top of
the seventh -- first, with an apparent solo home run, then while scoring
from third on a sacrifice fly after the homer was ruled a triple via
instant replay.
Grossman's one-out fly ball to right field went over the fence, but
Seattle right fielder Michael Saunders used his glove to bring the ball
back into play. Umpires ruled the hit a home run as Grossman ran around
the bases, but replays showed that Saunders actually caught the ball in
his glove momentarily before losing his grip on it as the ball flew back
into play.
After umpires reversed the call and gave Grossman a triple, McClendon
came storming out of the dugout in protest, saying that Grossman should
not be awarded third base because umpires ruled the play a home run as
the runner rounded second base. McClendon was ejected.
"I'm flabbergasted, totally confused," McClendon said after the game.
"We were told in spring training that when a home run is signaled, play
stops. (Grossman) was between first and second base. Our player
(Saunders) stopped, so I don't know how you rule (Grossman) got to third
base there. That's all I'm going to say about that."
Grossman went 3-for-5.
Seattle second baseman Robinson Cano turned in his 53rd multiple-hit
game with a double and a single while going 2-for-4.
Houston second baseman Jose Altuve went 0-for-3, ending his 14-game
hitting streak, though his seventh-inning sacrifice fly scored Grossman.
Altuve came up with one out and two on in the ninth but lined out to
third base.
NOTES: Seattle activated OF Michael Saunders (strained oblique) from the
15-day disabled list and started him in right field. Saunders, whose
return was delayed by an ailment called Fifth disease that he contracted
from his newborn daughter, hit eighth in the lineup and went 1-for-2
with two walks. ... Mariners LF Dustin Ackley is scheduled to undergo an
MRI exam on his injured ankle after missing Sunday's game and being held
out of the lineup Monday. ... The Astros' tentative 2015 schedule begins
with a three-game home series against the Cleveland Indians. ... Seattle
is due to open 2015 at home against the Los Angeles Angels.
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