Mariners’ heroics in late innings work only once as they split DH with Orioles

Apr 13, 2021, 3:54 PM | Updated: 10:05 pm

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Sam Haggerty #0 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with J.P. Crawford #3 after hitting a two run home run against the Baltimore Orioles in the seventh inning during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Catcher Luis Torrens #22 of the Seattle Mariners applies the late tag as Anthony Santander #25 of the Baltimore Orioles scores a run in the third inning during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Ramon Urias #29 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after driving in the winning run in the seventh inning giving the Orioles a 7-6 win over the Seattle Mariners during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Ramon Urias #29 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after driving in the winning run in the seventh inning during the Orioles 7-6 win over the Seattle Mariners during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Ramon Urias #29 of the Baltimore Orioles drives in the winning run against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Maikel Franco #3 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on as Sam Haggerty #0 of the Seattle Mariners rounds the bases after hitting a two RBI home run in the seventh inning during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Sam Haggerty #0 of the Seattle Mariners leads off of third base against the Baltimore Orioles during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Jose Marmolejos #26 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates after hitting a three run homer against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Jose Marmolejos #26 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with J.P. Crawford #3 and Taylor Trammell #20 after hitting a three run homer in the third inning during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Anthony Santander #25 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates in front of Luis Torrens #22 of the Seattle Mariners after scoring in the third inning during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Nick Margevicius #52 of the Seattle Mariners pitches to a Baltimore Orioles batter in the second inning during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Jose Marmolejos #26 of the Seattle Mariners hits a three run home run against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Jose Marmolejos #26 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with Luis Torrens #22 after hitting a three run homer in the third inning during game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Reliever Kendall Graveman #49 of the Seattle Mariners and catcher Tom Murphy #2 of the Seattle Mariners celebrate the Mariners 4-3 extra inning win over the Baltimore Orioles during game one of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Catcher Pedro Severino #28 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on as Mitch Haniger #17 of the Seattle Mariners scores the game winning run in the eighth inning of game one of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Mitch Haniger #17 of the Seattle Mariners rounds third base in front of Maikel Franco #3 of the Baltimore Orioles to score the game winning run in the eighth inning of game one of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Ty France #23 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his first inning solo home run with teammate Luis Torrens #22 against the Baltimore Orioles during game one of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Ty France #23 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with third base coach Manny Acta #14 after hitting a first inning solo home run against the Baltimore Orioles during game one of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Tom Murphy #2 of the Seattle Mariners rounds the bases after hitting a second inning solo home run against the Baltimore Orioles during game one of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Tom Murphy #2 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates a second inning solo home run with teammate Evan White #12 against the Baltimore Orioles during game one of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 13: Starting pitcher Justus Sheffield #33 of the Seattle Mariners throws to a Baltimore Orioles batter in the third inning of game one of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — Ramón Urías hit a game-ending single with two outs in the seventh inning and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the miscue-prone Seattle Mariners 7-6 Tuesday night to earn a doubleheader split.

Box scores: Game 1 – M’s 4, O’s 3 | Game 2 – O’s 7, M’s 6

César Valdez (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh for Baltimore, which had lost four in a row and six of seven. Seattle’s three-game winning streak was halted.

“We’re just trying to get better,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We had some guys off to some slow starts offensively. You see a lot of pressing going on with our hitters. Hopefully, rallies like we had and wins like this can kind of relax some guys.”

Kyle Seager’s RBI double in the eighth inning helped the Mariners earn a 4-3 victory in the opener, a makeup of Monday’s rainout.

Casey Sadler (0-1) retired the first two batters in the seventh before walking Maikel Franco. The reliever then misplayed Ryan McKenna’s grounder for an error and followed by throwing a wild pitch.

Urías singled up the middle to win it for Baltimore, which scored five unearned runs off three Seattle errors in the nightcap.

“It does leave kind of a sour taste in your mouth,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “We did a lot of good things today. Just the errors in the second game are what got us a little bit.”

The Mariners scored four runs in the third off Baltimore starter Dean Kremer, including three on José Marmolejos’ second homer of the season. Kremer gave up four hits and struck out three in three innings.

We're having fun. Are you having fun? We're having fun. pic.twitter.com/C0Huya1Nir

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 14, 2021

The Orioles responded with four unearned runs off Seattle starter Nick Margevicius in the third. Baltimore tacked on two more in the fourth, as Cedric Mullins’ RBI double extended his hitting streak to all 11 games this season and 15 games dating to 2020.

Reliever Adam Plutko held Seattle in check in the fifth and sixth innings. Sam Haggerty’s two-run homer in the Seattle seventh made it 6-all.

Well, well, well… 😈 pic.twitter.com/WEwH9Ubks2

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 14, 2021

In the first game, Seager’s one-out double to center off Tanner Scott (0-1) scored Mitch Haniger as the Mariners improved to 3-0 in extra-inning games this year.

Seager, who has reached base in nine of his last 10 plate appearances, laced a one-out double to center off Tanner Scott (0-1). That scored Mitch Haniger, who opened the extra frame as the automatic runner on second base.

We've said it before, and we'll say it again:

CLUTCH. pic.twitter.com/DoHrH0VgW1

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 13, 2021

“I think he really embraces that he is our veteran leader on this club,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “I’ve often said the best players need to step up when games are on the line, and that’s what he’s doing.”

Rafael Montero (1-0) earned the victory despite blowing his third save in five tries. Justus Sheffield allowed two runs and three hits in six innings, and Kendall Graveman earned his first career save.

Seattle’s Ty France and Tom Murphy homered off John Means, who allowed three runs in five innings.

Us: Play ba–

Ty France: pic.twitter.com/HA9Pdmt6Yo

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 13, 2021

Murph 💣! pic.twitter.com/hq9aW1dXiR

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 13, 2021

Justus Sheffield, who was originally scheduled to face Baltimore on Monday before the game was rained out, didn’t allow a ball out of the infield in the first four innings. He yielded two runs and three hits, including Ramón Urias’ two-run homer in the fifth, while striking out five.

Sheffield needed just 77 pitches to complete six innings as he neared a complete game.

“I definitely wanted to go back out there,” Sheffield said. “Waking up this morning, I knew we had a doubleheader and I told myself I wanted to go C-G. I’ve only done it one time in my career, I think, and never at the big league level. That was definitely a goal coming into this game. I saw we had Montero warming up, and Skip told me he was going to take the ball. No controversy at all with that.”

Montero retired the first two batters in the seventh, but Ryan Mountcastle doubled and then scored on DJ Stewart’s RBI single to extend the game. It was Montero’s third blown save in five tries.

Baltimore starter John Means allowed three runs in five innings while striking out five. France hit a one-out homer in the first and Murphy led off the second with his first home run of the season. But Means retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced to keep the Orioles from severely taxing their bullpen.

“I didn’t execute the game plan early,” Means said. “I wasn’t locating well. I wasn’t pitching like myself, and I just locked it in. I knew what I needed to do. I just couldn’t do it the first couple of innings.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: LHP James Paxton will undergo season-ending surgery. Paxton left his April 6 start — his first since returning to Seattle on a 1-year, $8.5 million deal — after 1 1/3 innings with left elbow discomfort. … Manager Scott Servais said OF Kyle Lewis (right knee) took some at bats in an alternate site game Monday and said it was “very realistic” to expect Lewis to return in the next week.

Orioles: Manager Brandon Hyde said he is optimistic OF Austin Hays (right hamstring strain) can log some game action at the team’s alternate training site in the next few days. “Hopefully that goes well, and we’ll see him sometime shortly after that,” Hyde said.

27th MEN

Baltimore added RHP Travis Lakins Sr. as its 27th man for the doubleheader. Lakins pitched a scoreless inning in the opener. Seattle brought up INF Donovan Walton, who hit .154 with three RBIs in five games for the Mariners last year.

UP NEXT

Mariners: RHP Justin Dunn (0-0, 5.79 ERA), who allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings against the Chicago White Sox in his lone start of the year, faces an AL East for the first time in his career.

Orioles: RHP Matt Harvey (0-1, 5.59) has not earned a victory since he kept Seattle to a run in 5 2/3 innings on July 13, 2019, in his only career appearance against the Mariners.

Table Setter: If M’s are making the leap, this is a good start