The difference between the two teams, to a large degree, is that Seattle finds a way to win, and the Orioles keep coming up with a variety of ways to lose.
Nelson Cruz homered and drove in three runs, and the Mariners capitalized on two 10th-inning errors in a 4-2 victory Thursday that completed their first four-game sweep at Baltimore in franchise history.
The Mariners improved to 8-0 in extra innings this season. They won in 11 innings on Wednesday, after winning the first two games of the series 5-3 and 3-2.
”We won four games, four different ways,” manager Scott Servais said with pride. ”It shows what kind of team we are. Different players on different nights, all pitching in. We are playing pretty good baseball as a team right now. This sweep was a great turnaround for us.”
The Mariners came to town with a run of six losses in seven games. They headed back to Seattle in the thick of the AL West race.
”It’s great to get a sweep,” shortstop Jean Segura said. ”It gives us momentum as we go back home.”
After missing two straight games with lower back pain, Cruz celebrated his return with his 21st homer , a two-run shot in the fourth inning that put Seattle up 2-0.
Manny Machado and Chris Davis answered with solo drives off Mike Leake in the bottom half, and that accounted for all the scoring until the 10th.
Dee Gordon beat out a dribbler to the left of the mound and scored when center fielder Colby Rasmus bobbled Segura’s single off Miguel Castro (2-4). A throwing error by third baseman Steve Wilkerson and an RBI single by Cruz followed.
Gordon’s speed and Cruz’s power have proven to be a potent combination for the Mariners. It was certainly too much for Baltimore.
”Guys like Gordon put such pressure on you because you know any little bobble, anything Trey Burton Jerseyl , he’s going to take another base,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. ”A groundball that probably 95 percent of people are out on pretty easily, it’s a base hit. That’s why they’re having a good year and winning some games, because of things like that.
”You can’t say, `We don’t have it.’ Well, a lot of teams don’t have that.”
Juan Nicasio got three straight outs in the 10th for his first save after James Pazos (2-1) worked the ninth.
Leake allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings, his eighth straight start of at least six innings.
Making his first major league start, Jimmy Yacabonis gave up two runs and six hits over four-plus innings for Baltimore. After Yacabonis allowed two straight singles to start the fifth, Jefry Ramirez took over and retired Segura and Mitch Haniger before striking out Cruz.
”I thought I did well,” Yacabonis said. ”There were a couple of times where I tried to make my pitches too good instead of just executing. That’s just going to come with fine tuning and experience.”
Recalled from Triple-A Norfolk before the game, Ramirez threw five innings of three-hit ball in his second big league game.
STREAKY
Baltimore’s Mark Trumbo extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a sixth-inning single. It matches a career high, set with Seattle in 2015. … Davis has two HRs in his last two games and three in seven games since returning from an 8-game hiatus designed to break a season-long skid.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: 3B Kyle Seager did not start after hurting his toe during a swing Wednesday night, but entered as a pinch hitter in the ninth and stayed in the game.
Orioles: 3B Tim Beckham was given a day off. He had played in three straight games since coming off the DL following core surgery. ”He feels good. We just want to keep him that way,” Showalter said. … CF Adam Jones was also rested. ”I’ve been looking for a day (off) for him Justin Blackmon Jersey , and today’s the day,” Showalter said.
UP NEXT
Mariners: LHP Marco Gonzales (7-5, 4.04 ERA) starts against Kansas City on Friday night in the opener of a nine-game homestand.
Orioles: Rookie David Hess (2-4, 5.44) helps Baltimore launch a three-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Angels.
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Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Lucas Patrick hasn't played baseball since he was a child. With one swing of the bat, he broke the nose of one of the "faces of the franchise."
At the Green & Gold Charity Softball Game on Saturday in Grand Chute, Patrick's line drive struck linebacker Clay Matthews in the face, breaking the long-haired star's nose.
"I talked with him immediately after it happened," Patrick said Monday. "I went up, and he was as calm and cool as could be. He's a tough guy to hop up like he did. He helped settle my nerves. I felt terrible, of course."
Patrick called it "one of those fluke things" that happens in baseball. Matthews was pitching at the time.
Matthews, who has not taken part in workouts following offseason knee surgery, was not at Monday's practice. He likely will have surgery on his nose later this week, coach Mike McCarthy said.
"I talked to him again today. He's a nice guy and (I'm) praying for him. Hope everything heals up. He was as good a guy as you could be during that," Patrick said.
Matthews has posted on Twitter that he was thankful the injury wasn't more serious. Despite a scare involving one of his premier players Luke Kuechly Jersey , McCarthy said is still OK with participation in the charity game.
"Anytime your players give back, charity involved in the community, that's a great day for the fans. I mean they sell it out every year," McCarthy said. "Yeah, I'm not going to overreact to this."
Matthews and receiver Davante Adams were co-captains for the game, taking the place of Jordy Nelson, who was released in March.
Patrick has been starting at left guard in place of Lane Taylor, who had offseason ankle surgery. When training camp begins in late July, Patrick and Justin McCray will be the front-runners to fill the vacancy at right guard, where veteran Jahri Evans started last season.
"It's been huge," Patrick said. "The best part is I can go with Lane after every practice and be like, 'Hey, on this set, I was seeing this Johnny Unitas Jersey , feeling this.' And he gives me his take on what I should do, what I can do better, or if he thinks what I'm doing is pretty good."
The Packers are in the last week of voluntary workouts. Mandatory minicamp takes place next week.
The only player who has not participated in the practices is safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
"Ha Ha, just like a number of veterans, when we start the offseason program, we go through everybody's individual schedule," McCarthy said. "Things do come up, so he's had a personal situation that he's attended to, so I have no concerns."
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