NEW YORK — The Mariners rarely play in games like this, let alone win them.
A low-scoring, nail-biter with their current starting rotation rarely happens for the Mariners unless James Paxton is on the mound. It certainly hasn’t happened lately with Paxton and Felix Hernandez on the disabled list and the rotation being held together with duct tape and dreams.
But on Friday night, seven pitchers combined to hold the Yankees to just one run and newcomer Yonder Alonso provided the go-ahead homer in the top of the 11th off fellow Cuban Aroldis Chapman. Edwin Diaz pitched a scoreless bottom of the inning to close out a 2-1 victory. It was Diaz’s 30th save of the season.
For just the sixth time in the 50 games they scored three runs or fewer, the Mariners celebrated a victory.
It seemed unlikely that the Mariners would muster much against the vaunted, flame-throwing Yankees bullpen. But the hardest thrower in that collection, Chapman, has been abysmal of late. He pitched his way out of the closers’ spot and he seems no closer to returning to the job.
He fired a 2-1 fastball to Alonso that registered 100 mph. But it was also right into Alonso’s hitting zone and he didn’t miss it — sending a line drive over the wall in dead center.
Coming into the game, the pitching matchup of lefties CC Sabathia and Ariel Miranda seemed a little lopsided. Over his last eight outings, Miranda had pitched six innings just once, posting an ERA over 7.00 during that time. He’s also given up 31 homers, which isn’t ideal for the hitter’s haven that is Yankee Stadium.
Sabathia was 14-5 with a 2.62 ERA in 27 career starts vs. the Mariners. The big lefty was making his second start since returning from the disabled list.
He was solid in his outing, working seven complete innings and allowing one run on five hits with a walk and six strikeouts.
Seattle’s run against him came in the fourth inning when Mike Zunino crushed a 2-0 changeup into the left-field seats for a 1-0 lead. It was Zunino’s 19th homer of the season.
Miranda worked back-to-back 1-2-3 innings to start the game, but then his command, which was iffy early devolved into a complete struggle. He walked the bases loaded in the third inning with one out. But he managed to work out of the inning unscathed, getting a pair of fly ball outs. It took 27 pitches to finish the frame.
An inning later, Miranda managed to load the bases again with two outs. But he wiggled out of the jam by striking out Todd Frazier. But Miranda could not get through the fifth inning.
With two outs and a runner on third, manager Scott Servais called on Emilio Pagan to face Aaron Judge instead of having Miranda pitch to him a third time.
The Mariners bullpen couldn’t quite complete the combined shutout. Pagan and Marc Rzepczynski combined to work sixth and seventh scoreless. But in the eighth, former Yankee David Phelps struggled with his command and the usually dependable Guillermo Heredia made a costly error in the outfield that to led a run.
With one out, Phelps walked Aaron Judge and allowed a double to the gap in left-center to DiDi Gregorious. Heredia couldn’t cut the ball off cleanly and dropped it, allowing Judge to score from first to tie the game at 1-1.
Seattle had a chance to retake the lead in the top of the ninth. The Mariners loaded the bases with one out against Dellin Betances. But Ben Gamel popped up in foul territory for the first out and pinch-hitter Robinson Cano struck out on three pitches.
