AP

Shed Long Jr the star again as Mariners top Rockies 2-1

Jun 22, 2021, 10:50 AM | Updated: Jun 23, 2021, 12:38 am

SEATTLE (AP) — Shed Long Jr. followed up his grand statement from last weekend with another game-winning swing for the Seattle Mariners.

It’s been a special couple of days for Long in his attempt to overcome injuries and rediscover the potential he showed a couple of years ago.

“I’m trying to come in and be the best version of me that I can be every day no matter what. Not just the 2019 version,” Long said. “I’m trying to be the best version of me. I want to be better than the 2019 version.”

Long hit his second straight decisive homer Tuesday night against Colorado. This time it was a solo shot with one out in the eighth inning that lifted Seattle over the Rockies 2-1 for the Mariners’ fifth straight victory.

Two days after Long hit a game-ending grand slam in the 10th inning to complete a four-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, the left-handed hitter came through again with another late long ball for the Mariners.

Long drove a 1-1 pitch from Tyler Kinley (1-2) to straightaway center field. It was the second straight appearance in which Kinley gave up homer, after he blew a save opportunity last Saturday against Milwaukee.

“It’s hard to hit a ball out to dead center here and know it’s gone the minute you hit it,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “He certainly got all of that one.”

Paul Sewald (4-2) worked the eighth inning for Seattle to get the win, and Kendall Graveman pitched the ninth for his sixth save and first since May 16.

The Mariners have won eight of nine.

Seattle starter Chris Flexen was on the cusp of another dominant performance before C.J. Cron’s homer with two outs in the seventh inning pulled the Rockies even at 1.

Cron caught up to a 95 mph fastball and drove it to right-center field for his 10th homer of the season.

The home run snapped Flexen’s streak of scoreless innings at 15. But other than the brief troubles in the seventh, Flexen was outstanding. He struck out six and didn’t allow a hit until Brendan Rodgers’ single in the fifth. Flexen has allowed three earned runs or less in four of his past five starts.

“I think each outing I’ve continued to grow, to trust myself, trust my plan,” Flexen said.

Colorado starter Kyle Freeland recovered from three rough starts to post his best outing of the season. Freeland had allowed 18 earned runs in his past three outings, including nine home runs, but managed to stymie the Mariners.

Freeland scattered five hits and struck out seven. The only run allowed came on J.P. Crawford’s infield hit with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth. But the Mariners missed out on their chance at a big inning on Dylan Moore’s baserunning mistake that became the third out.

“It was nice to have that feeling back of commanding the baseball, knowing I’m on top of it, staying through it, putting it in the spots I want it to be,” Freeland said. “It was very encouraging to see that and feel that and get back to the way I like to pitch.”

HIT STREAK

Colorado’s Raimel Tapia singled in the sixth inning to extend his hitting streak to 18 games, the longest active streak in the majors. It’s the longest by a Rockies player since Carlos Gonzalez’s 19-game streak in 2016.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: RHP Jon Gray may return to the rotation this weekend against Milwaukee, manager Bud Black said. Gray made a rehab start for Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday and threw on the side before Tuesday’s game. Gray went on the injured list this month with a flexor strain. … INF/OF Chris Owings was reinstated from the 60-day injured list shortly before the start of the game. Owings had been out since early April following thumb surgery. The Rockies designated RHP Joe Harvey for assignment.

Mariners: 1B Evan White was transferred to the 60-day injured list after having a setback in his recovery from a hip flexor injury while on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Tacoma. Servais said White had left Seattle to seek a second opinion on the injury. White has been out since May 14. Seattle claimed INF/OF Jake Hager off waivers from Milwaukee to take White’s spot on the 40-man roster. Hager will report to Tacoma. Seattle also recalled INF Donovan Walton from Tacoma, and RHP Yohan Ramirez was optioned.

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP German Márquez (5-6, 4.26) makes his 16th start. He threw six shutout innings in his last start against Milwaukee but had to be removed early because of cramps. He’s 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in two career starts vs. Seattle.

Mariners: LHP Justus Sheffield (5-6, 5.65) makes his 13th start of the season. Sheffield allowed a season-high seven runs over five innings in his last start against Minnesota.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Shed Long Jr the star again as Mariners top Rockies 2-1