Figgins Hits Tiebreaking Double For Mariners To Top Tigers 5-4
DETROIT (AP) — Chone Figgins hit a two-out, tiebreaking double in the seventh inning that was misjudged by right fielder Brennan Boesch, and the Seattle Mariners completed a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 5-4 victory Thursday.
Figgins' drive to right-center scored Brendan Ryan, who reached on a two-out walk from Pick Porcello (1-2).
Justin Smoke hit a three-run homer and Miguel Olivo also connected for the Mariners, who took a 4-0 lead in the fourth before the Tigers tied it. Figgins was 3 for 4 with a run and a stolen base to help Seattle reach .500 at 10-10.
Miguel Cabrera hit his sixth home run for the Tigers, who have lost six of seven after a 9-3 start.
Former-Tiger Charlie Furbush (1-1) pitched a perfect inning. Brandon League induced Alex Avila's double-play grounder to escape a first-and-second, one-out jam in the ninth and get his seventh save in eight chances.
Mariners starter Hector Noesi, acquired from the Yankees along with Jesus Montero in the deal that sent Michael Pineda to New York, allowed four runs and five hits in five-plus innings.
Porcello gave up five runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings.
Noesi held the Tigers hitless for the first 4 1-3 innings, allowing only Delmon Young's one-out walk in the second before Don Kelly's single.
Seattle took an early lead, as it did in the first two games of the series. Smoak broke an 0-for-16 skid with a three-run homer in the first on a 2-2 pitch. The drive, estimated at 390 feet, landed deep in the right-field stands for Smoak's third home run.
Olivo homered in the fourth, his first since Sept. 9.
Ryan Raburn singled in a run in the fifth, his first RBI this year. But with runners at the corners,
Gerald Laird grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Andy Dirks tripled leading off the sixth, Boesch singled and Cabrera tied it with a two-run homer that chased Noesi. Furbush retired the next three batters.
Detroit put runners at the corners with one out in the seventh before Dirks and Boesch grounded out against Lucas Luetge.
NOTES: Seattle also swept Detroit in a three-game series at Comerica Park last April 26-28. ... Laird was called out by first-base umpire Mike DiMuro on a slow roller to second base with one out in the third. Laird and Tigers manager Jim Leyland, who sprinted across the diamond, both argued the call. Replays showed Laird beat the throw. ... Detroit recalled RHP Brayan Villarreal from Triple-A Toledo and selected the contract RHP Luke Putkonen from the same team. The Tigers also optioned RHP Thad Weber to Toledo. ... Dirks returned after missing eight games with tightness in his left hamstring. ... Seattle heads to Toronto for a three-game serles. The Mariners' Blake Beavan (1-2) will face Toronto's Ricky Romero (3-0) on Friday. Detroit travels to New York for a three-game series with the Yankees. AL Cy Young Award winner and MVP Justin Verlander (2-1) pitches against Ivan Nova (3-0)
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