Perhaps it was fitting that Logan Gilbert was on the mound the night catcher Cal Raleigh returned from the injured list.
The longtime batterymates turned in vintage performances as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 Tuesday night.
The three-game series continues Wednesday in Seattle.
Gilbert allowed one run on two hits over seven innings, with one walk and a season-high 10 strikeouts. Raleigh hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning.
“That’s a formula that the Mariners have enjoyed for a while, and (Tuesday) was another example of that,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said of the Gilbert-Raleigh duo. “Those two have so much history with each other. They go way back to (Class) A ball. They’ve worked together for so long and it worked out well.”
Baltimore’s Taylor Ward hit the game’s first pitch high off the wall in left field for a double and scored on Samuel Basallo’s two-out single to right.
Gilbert retired the next 16 batters he faced before hitting Pete Alonso with a pitch leading off the seventh.
“Top of the first we did a good job, got some good swings,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “It looked like we were going to get some things going, and then to his credit (Gilbert) settled in. … Runs were going to be at a premium.”
The Orioles, who took two of four games from the Mariners last week in Baltimore, suffered their third consecutive defeat.
Along with the return of Raleigh, who spent time on the 10-day IL for the first time in his career with a right oblique strain, the Mariners also got a boost from leadoff hitter J.P. Crawford, who was activated after being out with a right hand contusion. Crawford went 1-for-2 and drew a pair of walks — one to load the bases for Raleigh in the seventh and the other preceding Julio Rodriguez’s run-scoring single in the third.
Crawford, the franchise leader in games started at shortstop, made his Mariners debut at third base. It was a move he suggested to management after phenom Colt Emerson was recalled from the minors last month.
“He’ll have a little bit of a different look at third base, but he’s been taking a lot of ground balls there, and I think he feels like he’s in a good spot to make the adjustment,” Wilson said.
While the Mariners activated two players Tuesday, left fielder Randy Arozarena was placed on the IL (left hamstring strain) shortly before the game. Seattle was also without first baseman Josh Naylor (right wrist discomfort) and outfielder Luke Raley (lower back tightness).
Tuesday’s game is scheduled to feature a pair of right-handers in the Orioles’ Kyle Bradish (3-7, 4.30 ERA) and the Mariners’ George Kirby (5-6, 4.07), who has lost his past four decisions.
Despite being staked to a five-run lead, Bradish didn’t last long enough Thursday against the Mariners to get a decision in a game the Orioles won 7-5. He gave up five runs on seven hits over four innings, including three homers. Bradish is 1-0 with a 4.57 ERA in four career starts against the Mariners.
Kirby made a quality start on June 10 in Baltimore but suffered a 7-2 defeat. He allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings, with a season-high 10 strikeouts. In nine career starts against the Orioles, Kirby is 2-6 with a 3.40 ERA.
–Field Level Media
