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Miley, Cruz lead Mariners past Indians

[June 08, 2016] SEATTLE -- Seattle Mariners starter Wade Miley knew he needed to do something after a string of rough outings, so he met with pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre and made some adjustments. Then he shaved his trademark beard.

The new-look starter was back in form Tuesday night, when he threw seven shutout innings to beat the Cleveland Indians 7-1.

"Obviously, the last three starts I got out of whack; I have no idea what was going on there," Miley said after holding the red-hot Indians to four hits to snap Cleveland's six-game winning streak. "It was just, after my last start, I saw some things and tried to make some adjustments."

The most obvious one was to his appearance. Mariners slugger Nelson Cruz, who hit two home runs in the game, joked that the Mariners (32-26) thought they had a new teammate when Miley showed up without his beard.

"I was just tired of it," Miley said. "My wife was getting on me. I don't know. Every year I do this at some point. If I'm struggling, whatever. I just got tired of it."

Miley (6-2) bounced back from a rough outing his last time out to silence the Indians' bats for seven innings, allowing just four hits while striking out three.

Seattle had a 7-0 lead when reliever Joaquin Benoit came on to open the eighth and gave up a solo home run to Lonnie Chisenhall.

One day after Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer held them to five hits and one run, the Mariners erupted for 10 hits while putting the Indians away early. Cruz, Robinson Cano, Seth Smith, Adam Lind and shortstop Shawn O'Malley all had two hits for Seattle.

"Anytime you score first, it gives you momentum," said Cruz, who gave Seattle a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning.

O'Malley and catcher Steve Clevenger -- two backups who were hitting at the bottom of the order -- came through with two-RBI, extra-base hits in the four-run fourth.

Cruz added a solo shot, his 15th home run of the season, in the fifth.

Seattle had runners on first and second with two outs in the fourth when designated hitter Lind hit a routine grounder right at Cleveland shortstop Francisco Lindor. He initially waited for second baseman Jason Kipnis to cover the base but, upon realizing that Kipnis was not going to beat the runner to the base, Lindor instead threw quickly to first but not in time. That loaded the bases for Clevenger, whose two-run double opened up a 4-0 lead. O'Malley tripled in the next at-bat, driving in two more runs for a 6-0 lead.

"That's unfortunate," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "You give a team extra opportunities, and a lot of times not-so-good things are going to happen. They tacked on four (runs) and that really hurt."

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That ended the night for starter Cody Anderson, who was called up earlier in the day but lasted just 3 2/3 innings. He allowed six runs off seven hits.

Cruz's 14th home run of the season gave the Mariners a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Cruz hit a two-out, two-run shot to left-center field after Cano singled in front of him. His solo home run with two outs in the fifth put Seattle ahead 7-0.

Foul tips in the second inning knocked one Indians player out of the game and nearly sidelined another. After left fielder Jose Ramirez fouled a ball off his lower left leg but was able to stay in the game in the top of the inning, Cleveland catcher Yan Gomes suffered a more significant injury in the bottom of the second. Gomes took a Dae-Ho Lee foul tip to the groin area and had to be replaced by Chris Gimenez.

Gomes was able to walk off under his own power, and the Indians announced that he suffered a testicular contusion. Francona said he was scheduled to undergo an ultrasound at an area hospital late Tuesday night.

"I don't think he's probably having the best night of his life," Francona said.

NOTES: Seattle SS Ketel Marte (neck spasms) was not in Tuesday's lineup. Marte came off the 15-day disabled list Monday, going 1-for-3 in his first action since May 21. ... The Indians recalled RHP Cody Anderson from Triple-A Columbus to make the start Tuesday. Cleveland needed another starter because RHP Danny Salazar skipped a start to rest a tired shoulder. To make room for Anderson on the roster, the Indians optioned reliever Austin Adams to Columbus. ... Seattle C Chris Iannetta, who had a costly error in Monday's loss, was not in the Mariners' lineup Tuesday. He got a routine off day with backup Steve Clevenger behind the plate. ... Seattle RHP Felix Hernandez, who is eligible to come off the disabled list early next week, was wearing a walking boot to protect his strained calf muscle before Tuesday's game. Hernandez has already missed two starts, and there is no known estimate for his return to action. ... Cleveland RHP Joba Chamberlain was eligible to come off the Indians' disabled list Tuesday, but no announcement was made after the game about him being activated. Chamberlain is a candidate to be on the roster if Cleveland decides to option RHP Cody Anderson -- Tuesday's starter -- back to Triple-A.

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