DETROIT (AP) — Abraham Toro hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers 5-3 on Wednesday for their fifth victory in six games.
Toro, called up from Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday, had two hits and Eugenio Suarez also hit a two-run homer for the Mariners.
“I just like those moments,” Toro said. “Tough situations and you just want to push that run. … You want to get the ball up in the air and I was able to do it.”
Seattle manager Scott Servais feels Toro’s .187 batting average is misleading.
“Go up there in an aggressive mode,” Servais said. “He’s had a lot of big hits. People look at his batting average and the inconsistencies of him, but the home runs that he’s hit late in games and the big hits that he’s had late in games have won us quite a few games.”
Seattle starter Marco Gonzales (10-12) allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings. Paul Sewald drew two walks in the ninth for his 17th save.
Gonzales did not allow a run in his final four innings after making a uniform change.
“I went in and changed my jersey,” he said. “I just needed to change it. I didn’t feel like myself. I felt a little shaky, a little off. I went in and changed my shirt and we shot from there.”
Jeimer Candelario drove in two runs for Detroit. Starting pitcher Tyler Alexander allowed two runs in 4 2/3 innings, while Alex Lange (4-4) took the loss.
Suárez’s 25th home run of the season came on a 3-0 pitch by Alexander in the first inning.
Detroit tied the score with two runs in the second inning on Candelario’s RBI single and Willi Castro’s fielder’s fielder. Candelario’s second RBI single of the game gave Detroit a 3-2 lead in the sixth.
The Tigers had some bad luck, as three innings ended with lines with runners on base.
“One foot in any direction and you’re talking about opening the game,” manager AJ Hinch said. “In a close game, it feels like you have to be perfect. They have been very good in close matches and I think we saw why tonight.”
Seattle regained the lead when Toro followed Adam Frazier’s 3-pointer with one out off Lange in the seventh. Ty France walked with the bases loaded in the ninth to give the Mariners a two-run lead.
BIG MILESTONE
Scott Servais posted his 1,000th game for the Mariners on Wednesday. Servais has managed the second-most games in Mariners history, behind only Lou Piniella (1,551 games).
LIST MOVEMENTS
Mariners: LHP Matthew Boyd and OF Taylor Trammell will be activated when the rosters expand to 28 players on Thursday. Boyd made 143 starts for Detroit between 2015 and 2021 and signed with San Francisco as a free agent during the offseason while recovering from surgery on his left flexor tendon. Boyd, who was traded to Seattle in early August but has yet to make his season debut, will be used out of the bullpen. Trammell has appeared in 32 games with the Mariners this season, batting .235 with three home runs.
Tigers: 1B Spencer Torkelson and INF Ryan Kreidler will be activated when rosters expand Thursday. Torkelson hit just .197 in 83 games with Detroit before being demoted to Triple-A Toledo, where he hit .228 with five home runs in 34 games. Kreidler hit .213 with eight home runs in 56 games with the Mud Hens. … RHP Michael Pineda (right triceps strain) will also be activated from the 15-day disabled list. Pineda’s last major league appearance was on July 23.
COACHES ROOM
sailors; SS JP Crawford (strained pectoral muscle) did not start the game but came on as a defensive replacement in the eighth.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (10-5, 3.49 ERA) will look to end a nine-game winless drought in the series finale on Thursday afternoon. Gilbert’s last victory came on July 5.
Tigers: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (3-3, 3.60 ERA) has won both of his starts since coming off the restricted list. Rodriguez is 4-3 with a 3.46 ERA in nine career starts against Seattle.
