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Span has key pinch hit as Mariners rally past Red Sox, 7-6

Rob Whalen pitched four scoreless innings of relief for Seattle. Ryan Cook (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless eighth inning and Edwin Diaz earned his major league-leading 26th save by working the ninth.
Credit: Joe Nicholson
Jun 15, 2018; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Denard Span (4, middle) celebrates with second baseman Dee Gordon (9) following a 7-6 victory against the Boston Red Sox at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

SEATTLE (AP) - Denard Span's pinch-hit double in the eighth inning scored two runs, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 7-6 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Span, hitting for Guillermo Heredia with one out, hit a liner to the right-field corner after Ryon Healy walked and Ben Gamel singled to left.

Rob Whalen pitched four scoreless innings of relief for Seattle. Ryan Cook (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless eighth inning and Edwin Diaz earned his major league-leading 26th save by working the ninth.

Matt Barnes (0-2) took the loss.

Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run homer as part of a six-run third inning that gave Boston a 6-3 lead, but a spectacular defensive play by Seattle second baseman Dee Gordon on a hard-hit ball up the middle by Bogaerts that ended the sixth inning kept Boston from adding another run.

The Mariners led 3-0 when Boston sent 11 men to the plate and had six hits and walk to chase starter James Paxton. The Mariners also committed two errors in the inning.

Paxton entered the game with a 0.39 ERA and 2-0 record in three previous starts against the Red Sox. Five of the six runs against Paxton were earned. He also threw two wild pitches.

Boston tied the game at 3 on four singles and an error by third basemen Kyle Seager, before Bogaerts hit his 11th home run.

Jean Segura gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead in the first inning when he launched Rick Porcello's fastball over the scoreboard in left field, a 420-foot shot.

Seattle made it 3-0 in the second inning. After back-to-back singles put runners at first and third, Gamel hit a one-hopper to Porcello, who turned and got the force at second. But Bogaerts' throw back to the plate was too late to get Seager, who raced home from third.

Gamel stole second before scoring on Mike Zunino's single that bounced off the bag at third and behind third baseman Rafael Devers.

Zunino hit his 11th home run of the season to start the bottom of the seventh and cut it to 6-5.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz (left biceps tendinitis) made some throws in the outfield Friday for the first time since going on the 10-day DL on June 5, retroactive to June 2.

Mariners: RHP Juan Nicasio (knee swelling) threw in the bullpen Friday and is expected to throw live batting practice Saturday. Manager Scott Servais said it's possible Nicasio could come off the 10-day DL on Tuesday in New York when the Mariners start a three-game series with the Yankees. "He just needs to get that inflammation out of his knee," Servais said. . RHP Nick Vincent (groin strain) will throw in the bullpen Saturday.

FILIA RETURNS: The Red Sox returned minor league OF Eric Filia to the Mariners Friday after Filia failed his physical. Filia was the player to be named in the deal that sent LHP Roenis Elias to the Mariners on April 23. The Mariners completed the trade with cash considerations.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: RHP Steven Wright (2-0, 1.21) will take the longest active scoreless streak in baseball into Saturday's game against the Mariners. Wright has thrown 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, including back-to-back scoreless starts when he went seven innings in a win against Detroit and 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision at Baltimore.

Mariners: Wade Leblanc (7-3, 4.26) will make his ninth start of the season Saturday. Leblanc has allowed only 11 earned runs in his previous eight starts for a 2.45 ERA. The Mariners are 6-2 in those games.

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