Holt's 11th-inning hit pushes Red Sox over M's

[August 05, 2016]  SEATTLE -- Brock Holt delivered a two-out, RBI single in the 11th inning, lifting the Boston Red Sox to a 3-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.

The Red Sox managed a split of the four-game series after dropping the middle two contests.

Holt, who entered the game in the seventh inning, drove a pitch from Seattle reliever Cody Martin up the middle to drive in Travis Shaw. Martin (1-2) was the sixth pitcher used by a Mariners, and he gave up a leadoff single to Shaw and a sacrifice bunt by Sandy Leon.

Brad Ziegler came on in the bottom of the 13th to earn his third save of the season after Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel (2-3) ended the ninth and struck out the side in the 10th.

Seattle (54-53) got a leadoff walk in the bottom of the 13th but ended up stranding the runner on third base when Ziegler struck out pinch hitter Seth Smith to finish off the win.

The Red Sox (59-48) moved to within two games of the American League East co-leaders, the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays.

Shaw went 2-for-5 with a solo home run. Teammate Mookie Betts added a pair of hits and an RBI.

Seattle rookie Ariel Miranda, making his first major league start and his debut as a Mariner, turned in a solid night but was not involved in the decision. Miranda, who was acquired in a deadline deal that sent veteran starter Wade Miley to Baltimore, allowed two runs on eight hits over six innings.

Boston's Drew Pomeranz gave up two runs on four hits over six innings.

Shortstop Shawn O'Malley had three hits for the Mariners, including his first home run of the season in the fifth.

O'Malley and the Mariners threatened in the bottom of the ninth inning, when new Boston reliever Fernando Abad gave up a single to O'Malley and a two-out walk before Kimbrel came on to retire Robinson Cano for the final out.

Boston's David Ortiz, playing what was likely to be his final game at Safeco Field, went 1-for-5 and received two ovations -- after his at-bats in the eighth and 10th innings -- as the local Red Sox fans twice said goodbye to the retiring 40-year-old designated hitter.

Shaw hit his 13th home run of the season, a leadoff shot in the second inning, giving the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. Betts added an RBI double in the fifth to put the Red Sox ahead 2-0.

Boston jumped on Miranda with back-to-back one-out singles and a walk to load the bases in the first inning. However, Miranda got out of that jam by striking out Jackie Bradley Jr. and getting Aaron Hill to fly out to right field.

Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano (22) tags out Boston Red Sox second baseman Brock Holt (12) in a run-down during the eleventh inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle had a bases-loaded threat in the bottom of the fourth, when Pomeranz ran into some control issues and walked three of the first five batters he faced. Leonys Martin grounded out to first base to end that threat.

Boston's Bryce Brentz led off the fifth with a double down the right field line, and Betts followed that with a double into the right-center-field gap, scoring Brentz for a 2-0 lead.

After O'Malley led off the bottom of the fifth with a homer, Seattle tied the score 2-2 on a two-out single from Dae-Ho Lee. Pomeranz minimized the damage that inning when, with his back turned, he knocked down a hard liner by Kyle Seager and threw to first to strand runners at first and third.

NOTES: The Mariners placed their former closer, RHP Steve Cishek, on the 15-day disabled list due to a left hip labral tear. Seattle also promoted LHP Ariel Miranda and RHP Blake Parker from Triple-A Tacoma, optioned RHP Donn Roach to Tacoma and released RHP Mayckol Guaipe. ... Boston OF Michael Martinez was claimed off waivers by Cleveland. The Red Sox designated Martinez for assignment earlier in the week. ... Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was likely playing his final game in Seattle. The 40-year-old designated hitter is retiring after the 2016 season. ... Boston 1B Hanley Ramirez (sprained left wrist) was not in the lineup again Thursday. ... The Red Sox released their probable starters for the upcoming road series against the Dodgers, which begins Friday. RHP Steven Wright will pitch Friday's opener, with LHPs Eduardo Rodriguez (Saturday) and David Price (Sunday) following.

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