BRENT STECKER

Lineups: Ben Gamel hitting 2nd, Nelson Cruz scratched for Mariners’ opener in Cleveland

Apr 28, 2017, 12:48 PM | Updated: 12:55 pm

Ben Gamel, who had the go-ahead RBI single in Thursday's win, will hit second on Friday. (AP)...

Ben Gamel, who had the go-ahead RBI single in Thursday's win, will hit second on Friday. (AP)

(AP)

Ben Gamel has already been playing right field in place of the injured Mitch Haniger, and in Friday’s series opener against the defending American League champion Cleveland Indians, the Mariners will try him out in Haniger’s customary second spot in the lineup.

Somebody else the Mariners have tried out in that No. 2 of the batting order, utility man Taylor Motter, will get a shot at hitting cleanup after Nelson Cruz was scratched from the original lineup due to leg cramps, per 710 ESPN Seattle’s Shannon Drayer. Motter will play first base, moving Daniel Vogelbach into Cruz’s usual designated hitter position.

Drayer: Fill-ins producing for M’s | Stecker’s Three Things

Left-hander Ariel Miranda will pitch for the M’s against a Cleveland lineup that features a pair of former Mariners in the outfield – Austin Jackson and Abraham Almonte. Carlos Carrasco will start on the mound for the Indians.

Game 1 of the set will start at 4:10 on 710 ESPN Seattle, with the pregame show beginning at 3.

Mariners (10-13)

Jean Segura, SS
Ben Gamel, RF
Robinson Cano, 2B
Taylor Motter, 1B
Kyle Seager, 3B
Guillermo Heredia, LF
Daniel Vogelbach, DH
Mike Zunino, C
Jarrod Dyson, LF

Ariel Miranda, LHP

Indians (12-9)

Carlos Santana, 1B
Francisco Lindor, SS
Brandon Guyer, LF
Edwin Encarnacion, DH
Jose Ramirez, 3B
Jason Kipnis, 2B
Austin Jackson, CF
Abraham Almonte, LF
Yan Gomes, C

Carlos Carrasco, RHP

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Lineups: Ben Gamel hitting 2nd, Nelson Cruz scratched for Mariners’ opener in Cleveland