0xbt

Denard Span came to the plate in the eighth inning [url=http://www.edmontonoilersteamshops.com/authentic-connor-mcdavid-jersey]Authentic Connor McDavid Jersey[/url] , knowing the situation was why the Seattle Mariners traded for him three weeks ago.

The veteran outfielder kept his cool and stroked a pinch-hit double that scored two runs, leading the Mariners to a 7-6 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Span, batting for Guillermo Heredia with one out, hit a liner to the right-field corner off Matt Barnes (0-2) after Ryon Healy walked and Ben Gamel singled to left.

”I just tried to stay calm as possible,” Span said. ”Kind of a calm angry. This is huge for me. I’m the new guy around here and I just want to help these guys as much as I can and feel like I’m one of them.”

The Mariners acquired Span and reliever Alex Colome from Tampa Bay on May 25.

”He’s a huge addition to our club,” said Seattle manager Scott Servais. ”He has so much experience in those situations, so he understands how to slow things down. We’re going to have a lot more situations like that this season.”

Ryan Cook (1-0) got the win with a scoreless eighth inning and Edwin Diaz earned his major league-leading 26th save by working the ninth.

But Rob Whalen, who was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday, was the difference, pitching four scoreless innings of relief.

”This team is unbelievable,” Whalen said. ”It felt like a World Series game out there tonight. I just wanted to do whatever I could to keep us in the game.”

It was the 20th time this season the Mariners have come from behind to win. Seattle is 22-10 in one-run games.

Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run homer as part of a six-run third inning that gave Boston a 6-3 lead [url=http://www.floridapanthersteamshops.com/authentic-aleksander-barkov-jersey]Authentic Aleksander Barkov Jersey[/url] , but a spectacular defensive play by Seattle second baseman Dee Gordon on a hard-hit ball up the middle by Bogaerts that ended the sixth inning kept the Red Sox from adding another run.

The Mariners led 3-0 when Boston sent 11 men to the plate and had six hits and walk to chase starter James Paxton. The Mariners also committed two errors in the inning.

Paxton entered the game with a 0.39 ERA and 2-0 record in three previous starts against the Red Sox. Five of the six runs against Paxton were earned. He also threw two wild pitches.

”Pax had good stuff tonight, we just didn’t help him,” Servais said. ”The defense was shaky early. Paxton has carried us this year, so it was nice to get him off the hook.”

Boston tied the game at 3 on four singles and an error by third basemen Kyle Seager, before Bogaerts hit his 11th home run.

”We had a good inning and got a lot of runs,” Bogaerts said. ”But that one big hit, seems like Span always does that against us. I remember when he did it at Tampa early on in the year. Same thing down the same line.”

Jean Segura gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead in the first inning when he launched Rick Porcello’s fastball over the scoreboard in left field, a 420-foot shot. Seattle made it 3-0 in the second.

Mike Zunino knocked in two runs, including his 11th home run of the season to start the bottom of the seventh and cut it to 6-5 before Span came through one inning later.

”With him, you have to attack,” Boston manager Alex Cora said of Span. ”He keeps working the count. He’s a veteran guy. If you’re ahead [url=http://www.floridapanthersteamshops.com/authentic-vincent-trocheck-jersey]Authentic Vincent Trocheck Jersey[/url] , you have to bury him and we didn’t.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz (left biceps tendinitis) made some throws in the outfield Friday for the first time since going on the 10-day DL on June 5, retroactive to June 2.

Mariners: RHP Juan Nicasio (knee swelling) threw in the bullpen Friday and is expected to throw live batting practice Saturday. Servais said it’s possible Nicasio could come off the 10-day DL on Tuesday in New York when the Mariners start a three-game series with the Yankees. ”He just needs to get that inflammation out of his knee,” Servais said. … RHP Nick Vincent (groin strain) will throw in the bullpen Saturday.

FILIA RETURNS: The Red Sox returned minor league OF Eric Filia to the Mariners Friday after Filia failed his physical. Filia was the player to be named in the deal that sent LHP Roenis Elias to the Mariners on April 23. The Mariners completed the trade with cash considerations.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: RHP Steven Wright (2-0, 1.21) will take the longest active scoreless streak in baseball into Saturday’s game against the Mariners. Wright has thrown 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, including back-to-back scoreless starts when he went seven innings in a win against Detroit and 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision at Baltimore.

Mariners: Wade Leblanc (7-3, 4.26) will make his ninth start of the season Saturday. Leblanc has allowed only 11 earned runs in his previous eight starts for a 2.45 ERA. The Mariners are 6-2 in those games.

Some extra rest left Julio Teheran feeling so strong he was unhittable for six innings.

That was more good news for an Atlanta rotation that is gaining momentum.

Teheran pitched six no-hit innings before being pulled from his first start since coming off the disabled list, and Atlanta relievers gave up six hits Sunday while finishing off a 4-1 win over the San Diego Padres.

Teheran’s velocity was up, with his fastball hitting 92 mph. He had been closer to 89 mph before he missed less than two weeks with a sore thumb. The boost in his fastball also helped his offspeed pitches.

”Those 10 days helped me to get everything on track,” Teheran said. ”… It was kind of fun to have my stuff back.”

Teheran (5-4) struck out a season-high 11, walked three and threw 95 pitches while recording 15 consecutive outs. Manager Brian Snitker said he could immediately see the difference in the right-hander’s pitchers.

”It was just good to see the life on the fastball again,” Snitker said.

Teheran’s changeup and slider also were effective.

”He was throwing all his pitches for strikes [url=http://www.floridapanthersteamshops.com/authentic-evgenii-dadonov-jersey]Authentic Evgenii Dadonov Jersey[/url] ,” said San Diego’s Cory Spangenberg. ”I know through three at-bats I only got one fastball. When a pitcher is doing that, he’s pretty tough to hit.”

Over the last 11 home games, Braves starters have a 1.00 ERA, allowing eight earned runs in 72 innings. No starter allowed more than two runs during the streak.

The bid for a combined no-hitter ended with one out in the seventh when reliever Shane Carle allowed a single to Spangenberg. Freddy Galvis added another single before Carle pitched out of the jam.

Jose Vizcaino gave up singles to Spangenberg and Galvis in the ninth before striking out Christian Villanueva and Raffy Lopez. Right fielder Nick Markakis, running toward the foul line, made a diving catch of Raffy Lopez’s flyball to end the game. Vizcaino earned his 15th save, including his third of the series.

Johan Camargo’s two-run double in the fourth off Jose Castillo (1-1) gave Atlanta a 2-0 lead. Tyler Flowers hit a two-run homer off Brad Hand in the eighth.

The Padres, who lost 1-0 on Saturday, ended a 16-inning scoring drought in the eighth. Franmil Reyes singled off A.J. Minter, moved to third on Eric Hosmer’s single and scored on Jose Pirela’s sacrifice fly. Hunter Renfroe’s fourth strikeout of the game ended the inning.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves C Kurt Suzuki left the game after he was hit on his helmet by Lopez’s bat as he struck out with a big follow-through to end the second inning. Suzuki was knocked to the ground but was able to walk off the field.

Manager Brian Snitker said Suzuki should be able to play in Atlanta’s next game at Toronto on Tuesday.

Braves third base coach Ron Washington had words with Lopez when Lopez emerged from the San Diego dugout to open the third inning. Snitker said the discussion was about Lopez not checking on Suzuki before walking away from the plate.

SERIES STREAK ENDS

The NL East-leading Braves won three of four in the series, ending San Diego’s streak of five straight series wins. The Padres’ last series loss came on May 25-27 [url=http://www.bengalscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-josh-malone-jersey]Josh Malone Jersey[/url] , when they dropped two of three to the Dodgers.

ROSTER MOVE

Braves LHP Luiz Gohara was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he will start. RHP Luke Jackson was re-signed to a major league contract after being designated for assignment on Wednesday.

BULLPEN GAME

Matt Strahm made his fourth start as the Padres continue to use a bullpen committee approach for one spot in their rotation. Strahm allowed only one hit with five strikeouts in 2 2/3 scoreless innings.

San Diego’s first four relievers allowed only two runs.

”We just didn’t do enough offensively,” manager Andy Green said.

UP NEXT

Padres: Following an off day on Monday, LHP Eric Lauer (3-4, 6.20) will face Oakland’s Paul Blackburn (1-1, 11.05) on Tuesday night in the first game of a two-game home series.

Braves: Atlanta is off on Monday before opening a two-game series at Toronto on Tuesday night, when rookie RHP Mike Soroka (2-1, 2.57) faces LHP Jaime Garcia (2-5, 5.71).

—