Ty France hit a three-run homer and rookie Bryce Miller and two relievers combined on a one-hitter as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Miami Marlins 8-1 on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series.
Eugenio Suarez and Tom Murphy also homered for Seattle, which returned home after a 2-6 trip that dropped it 10 games back in the American League West race. The Mariners gained a game on first-place Texas, which lost on Monday.
Miller (4-3) allowed one run on one hit in six innings to produce his sixth quality start in eight outings, but his first in the last three. The right-hander, who had given up 15 runs on 19 hits over seven innings in his previous two starts, gave up only a solo homer to left field by Nick Fortes with two outs in the fifth inning. Miller walked three and struck out six.
Ty Adcock, called up earlier in the day from Double-A Arkansas, pitched two hitless innings in his major league debut, and Gabe Speier worked a 1-2-3 ninth to cap the victory.
Miami lost for just the fourth time in its past 16 games.
Marlins left-hander Jesus Luzardo (5-5) made his shortest start of the season, allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits over four innings. He walked one and struck out three.
The Mariners took a 6-0 lead through two innings.
Leadoff hitter J.P. Crawford doubled into the right field corner in the bottom of the first. Two outs later, Teoscar Hernandez hit a run-scoring double into the left field corner. Suarez then hit a sinking liner that left fielder Bryan De La Cruz dropped, allowing the Mariners to take a 2-0 lead.
With one out in the second, Murphy hit a double down the left field line. After Jose Caballero was hit by a pitch, Crawford grounded into a fielder’s choice, leaving runners at the corners.
Julio Rodriguez muscled an inside pitch into right field for a run-scoring single, and France deposited a 1-2 pitch into the Mariners bullpen in left center to make it 6-0.
Suarez went deep to right center off Huascar Brazoban with one out in the fifth. Murphy hit a solo shot to straightaway center off Bryan Hoeing with one out in the eighth.
–Field Level Media
