The Sports Xchange
Jul 25, 2017
SEATTLE -- James Paxton pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out 10, and Kyle Seager hit a home run as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Boston Red Sox 4-0 Monday night at Safeco Field.
Paxton (10-3) allowed four hits and didn't walk a batter. The 10 strikeouts were a season-high.
The left-hander didn't allow a baserunner until a one-out single by Boston's Jackie Bradley Jr. in the fifth inning. Bradley was jammed by an inside pitch and muscled a single into center field.
The Red Sox put two runners on against Paxton in each of the next two innings.
Brock Holt reached on an error by first baseman Danny Valencia with one out in the sixth and Mookie Betts followed with a single to left. But Paxton struck out Andrew Benitendi and Dustin Pedroia to retire the side.
Hanley Ramirez and Bradley opened the sixth with back-to-back singles. Paxton struck out Chris Young, then got Deven Marrero to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Boston's Eduardo Rodriguez (4-3) took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
The Mariners took a 3-0 lead in the second inning against Rodriguez.
Seager led off by hitting a 2-1 pitch from the left-hander 415 feet to straightaway center field and over the fence.
With one out, Ben Gamel hit a triple down the right-field line. Guillermo Heredia followed with a chopper to first baseman Ramirez. Gamel broke from third and beat the high throw to the plate from Ramirez.
One out later, Jean Segura drove home the third run with a double to right-center field.
The Mariners tacked on a run in the fourth as Gamel led off with a single and, with two outs, moved to second when Segura was hit by a pitch. Valencia followed with run-scoring double to right.
NOTES: The Red Sox called up 3B Rafael Devers, their top prospect, and he joined the team Monday in Seattle. The plan is for Devers to be in the lineup Tuesday, when the Mariners are starting RHP Felix Hernandez (5-4, 3.88 ERA) against Boston LHP Drew Pomeranz (10-4, 3.51). To make room on the roster for Devers, the Red Sox optioned RHP Kyle Martin to Triple-A Pawtucket and transferred LHP Robbie Ross Jr. to the 60-day disabled list. ... Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts was a late scratch from the starting lineup with what manager John Farrell called "flu-like stuff." ... The Mariners signed IF Danny Espinosa, who was released by the Los Angeles Angels last Thursday after batting .162 in 77 games. Seattle optioned IF Taylor Motter to Triple-A Tacoma and transferred RHP Hisashi Iwakuma to the 60-day DL.