Jay Bruce keeps the home run spree going, gives Mariners needed cushion in win over Red Sox
Saturday night, it was Jay Bruce that kept the home run spree going for the Seattle Mariners.
Bruce, one of the longest tenured major-league players on Seattle’s new-look roster, perfectly timed his first long ball of the season, sending a three-run homer to center in the bottom of the fifth.
That gave the Mariners a much-needed four-run cushion against the visiting Boston Red Sox, and the lead held despite an eventful top of the ninth, as the Mariners worked to a 6-5 win in front of 34,928 at T-Mobile Park.
“They’ve been kind of carrying me along the first couple of games, so it felt good to help,” Bruce said. “We’ve been really putting together some great at-bats.
“From walks to singles to home runs, you name it, we’ve got a group of guys who come in here, and we know what we want to do, and we know the approach we want to take.”
Bruce’s blast proved the decisive hit of the game, giving Seattle a seemingly comfortable 6-2 lead. The Red Sox were held scoreless the next three frames, but a shaky ninth for the second consecutive night nearly cost the Mariners another win.
Left-hander Zac Rosscup pitched in place of injured closer Hunter Strickland — who was placed on the 10-day injured list after Friday night’s stunning loss — and allowed a leadoff single in the ninth before retiring the next two batters.
But, a walk and three consecutive errors by rookie third baseman Dylan Moore, making his first career start, allowed the Red Sox to scratch across three more runs.
“The ninth inning got a little crazy there,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Certainly things happen. The young players out there are going to go through some growing pains. We certainly went through a little bit tonight, but got to learn from it.”
Moore took three sharp grounders at third trying to get the final out, and made two throwing errors and a fielding error. He said it seemed like the situation snowballed, and he will try to flush the outing.
“It’s definitely not easy to do, but the only thing that cures something like that is hard work,” Moore said. “You just go out every day and work on your craft and get better at what you’ve got to do.
“I got tremendous support from my teammates and everybody, and obviously the win helps.”
Right-hander Nick Rumbelow recorded the final out after Moore’s third error, striking out Xander Bogaerts looking to preserve the win.
Seattle again grabbed the lead early on, jumping on Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez, and scoring twice in the first inning.
Mitch Haniger opened the game with a single, and Tim Beckham — who now has a 12-game hitting streak dating back to last season — eventually brought Haniger around with a two-out single.
Healy then roped a double to left, scoring Bruce, who had walked, to push the Mariners’ lead to 2-0.
But, the Red Sox scratched across a run in the second when Jackie Bradley Jr. drove in Mitch Moreland with a two-out single. J.D. Martinez shot a sharp line drive into left, scoring Rafael Devers, to tie the game in the third.
Dee Gordon blooped a single into left in the fourth to steal the lead back for Seattle, scoring Healy, who led off the inning with his second double in as many at-bats. Healy has seven hits through five games this season, all for extra bases, including five doubles and two home runs.
Bruce hit his bomb the next inning to give starter Mike Leake and the Mariners’ bullpen a much more comfortable margin to work with.
He entered the game batting just 1 for 15 in four appearances, but the timely home run made the difference in the win.
“Jay has been a little slow getting it going,” Servais said. “He’s been through so many different types of starts of seasons. Some years you come out of the gate hot, other years slow.
“The one thing about Jay, Jay’s got a proven track record, and he knows his strengths, and certainly got a pitch in a good spot tonight and he didn’t miss it.”
Leake (1-0, 3.00 ERA) earned the win in his first start of the season. The right-hander tossed six quality innings, allowing just the two earned runs on seven hits, while striking out seven and walking two.
He pitched only one inning that exceeded 20 pitches, and four of his strikeouts ended innings — three times stranding base runners in scoring position.
Rodriguez (0-1, 10.38 ERA) left after 4 1/3 innings, spending 105 pitches and allowing all six of Seattle’s runs, but Boston’s bullpen held the Mariners scoreless in their final three offensive frames, retiring 9 of 11 batters.
A night after Seattle’s relievers allowed the Red Sox to claw back late, and score the go-ahead run on a three-run blast in the ninth, the Mariners bullpen answered with two scoreless frames before the trio of errors piled up three Boston runs in the ninth.
“I’m glad there wasn’t a fourth,” Servais said. “We were able to get that final out, which was key.”
None of the runs Seattle’s relievers allowed were earned.
Rookie right-hander Brandon Brennan kept his ERA spotless, pitching two innings of relief, striking out two, and twice retiring the Red Sox in order. Brennan has allowed just two hits in five innings of work across three games.
Seattle, which improves to 4-1 and has now taken two of three from the defending World Series champions, is now guaranteed at least a series split.
“There’s not going to be many conventional wins around here, but we’ll take them any way we can get them,” Servais said.
ON TAP
The Mariners close their four-game series against the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon at T-Mobile Park before the Los Angeles Angels come to town for a two-game series.
Seattle left-hander Wade LeBlanc (9-5, 3.72 ERA in 2018) will meet Boston right-hander Rick Porcello (17-7, 4.28 ERA in 2018). Both pitchers are making their season debuts. First pitch is at 1:10 p.m.
This story was originally published March 30, 2019 at 9:22 PM.