Seattle RHP Taijuan Walker (4-8, 4.14 ERA) faces LHP Carlos Rodon (4-8, 4.02) to close the four-game series Sunday.
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“I just started working a couple of days ago on my mechanics”, said Diaz, who wobbled through his three previous outings. “He got me through that one pretty good tonight”. “But he ran into a buzz saw, five straight hits, and before you know it we were out of the game”. “We had no chance, really, after the fourth or fifth inning”. We just didn’t get much going offensively. “You’ve got to get hits with runners in scoring position”.
In his first inning of work, Nuno gave up three runs on five hits – all after getting the first two outs of the inning.
“You’re hoping he hangs something”, Lind said of Sale, “or leaves something in the middle of the plate”. “You kind of have to make them uncomfortable too at the same time. I went in there and did my job”. As it was…well, so it goes.
The problem was a familiar one; the Mariners struggled against left-handed starters. He has 336 putouts, 17 assists, four errors and three double plays over that time.
And they are likely to see two more in their upcoming three-game series against Texas.
MINUS: Robinson Cano tried to stretch a single into a double in the sixth inning against left fielder Melky Cabrera, an old friend, and was thrown out easily… I felt really good with my arm slot.
It wasn’t just that they scored nine runs, but they did it all sorts of fun ways.
When the Mariners sent up Adam Lind as a pinch-hitter for Dae-Ho Lee, Chicago countered by bringing in Dan Jennings, their only lefty reliever, for matchup purposes.
SEATTLE: Walker allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits over 5 2/3 innings in a loss last Tuesday to the Yankees.
White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon muttered something to himself when manager Robin Ventura motioned for a relief pitcher with two runners on base and no outs in the seventh inning.
PLAY OF THE GAME: Shawn O’Malley started for a third straight game at third base in place of Kyle Seager, who is nursing a sore right foot.
Eaton led off for Chicago and flew out to center field in his first appearance. Returned to the batter’s box, Iannetta struck out on the next pitch.
Rodon then ended the inning by striking out Mike Zunino. He is batting.366 (26-for-71) over his last 19 games…shortstop Ketel Marte went a long way to run down a pop near the left-field foul line by Tyler Saladino for the first out in the fifth inning… Justin Morneau went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs as Chicago (63-66) won three of four games in the series. During his career, he has faced 69 batters as a right-handed pitcher and 94 batters as a left-handed pitcher. He started the ninth with a seven-run lead, but immediately loaded the bases with a walk and two singles. The blast marked the second time in Cano’s 12-year career that he has hit at least 30 home runs. Cano also has more homers than doubles (29).
Franklin Gutierrez hit a solo home run.
“I didn’t feel my best today, but fastball command was good, and the changeup”, Walker said. He issued zero walks for the fifth time this season. An RBI single from Jose Abreu, who was hit by a pitch twice, made it 4-1.
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Walker was flawless through three innings, but then started the fourth by hitting Eaton. The White Sox later announced that x-rays were negative and Eaton was day-to-day with a bruised right forearm.
