Logan Gilbert pitched 6 2/3 strong innings to earn his first victory of the season as the Seattle Mariners topped the visiting Cincinnati Reds 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Julio Rodriguez had two hits to move his batting average past .200 and threw out the Reds’ Elly De La Cruz at third base to potentially prevent a big inning as the Mariners won their second in a row, matching a season high. They beat the Reds 9-3 on Monday.
On Tuesday, Gilbert (1-0) allowed one run on three hits. The right-hander walked one and struck out six.
The Reds loaded the bases in the ninth on two walks and an error before Mariners reliever Tayler Saucedo entered with two outs and got pinch-hitter Tyler Stephenson to fly out to center to earn his first save.
The Reds also threatened with two outs in the seventh. Jake Fraley drew a walk, ending Gilbert’s night. Reliever Andres Munoz walked De La Cruz on five pitches.
Pinch-hitter Nick Martini lined a single to center, but Rodriguez charged the ball, caught it on one hop and fired to third, where Josh Rojas made a diving tag to nab De La Cruz just before Fraley, who had inexplicably slowed, crossed the plate.
The Mariners opened the scoring in the fourth as Mitch Garver was hit by a pitch and rookie Jonatan Clase hit a run-scoring double to left with two outs.
The Reds tied it in the fifth after Spencer Steer led off with a single. Fraley reached on a fielder’s choice and De La Cruz grounded a single to right, sending Fraley to third. Fraley scored on Fairchild’s groundout to second.
Seattle regained the lead in the bottom of the inning off former Mariners reliever Emilio Pagan (1-1). Rodriguez lined a single to left and, an out later, Mitch Haniger grounded a single to left. A walk to Cal Raleigh loaded the bases and another walk to Garver scored the run.
The Mariners tacked on a run in the sixth as J.P. Crawford grounded a one-out single to left and moved to second on a wild pitch. A two-out walk to Jorge Polanco extended the inning, and Haniger lined a run-scoring single to center to make it 3-1.
Reds starter Hunter Greene didn’t factor into the decision, leaving after four innings and 98 pitches with the score tied at 1-1. The right-hander gave up four hits, walked three and fanned eight.
