For Mariners reliever Mark Lowe, a big strikeout comes with an assist

While the failed bunt turned to game-winning RBI double by Mike Zunino in the 12th inning may have been the play of the game in the Mariners’ 3-2 win Thursday over the Tigers, the eighth inning had its drama as well.

Mark Lowe was called upon after Hisashi Iwakuma had given the club at least an inning more that most would have thought after a shaky first inning. Lowe’s first batter was the man who hit the game-winning home run off of him three days earlier, Ian Kinsler. That was the first home run given up this season by Lowe, and Kinsler darn near did it again, sending a ball at the top of the left field wall on the first pitch he saw. Franklin Gutierrez channeled his vintage self, however, making a leaping catch to save at least extra bases. The game would remain tied at two.

Lowe then gave up a ground-rule double to Yoenis Cespedes and with Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez coming up, the Tigers had an excellent opportunity to score.

Lowe immediately fell behind 2-0 to Victor Martinez before coming back with two sliders for strikes. As catcher Jesus Sucre went through the signs for the next pitch, Lowe knew what he wanted to throw. Three days earlier he lost with his fastball. Thursday he was going with his best pitch – he wanted the slider. He had just thrown two to Martinez and thought he looked bad on them. He was getting set to throw a third when manager Lloyd McClendon jumped out of the dugout and headed for the mound.

Often these visits are to slow a pitcher down or make sure everyone is on the same page. This visit was a little different, according to Lowe.

“Mac came out and asked me what I was thinking. I said I’m thinking another slider here,” said Lowe. “He said, ‘You know what, I like the fastball up and in a little bit here, and if he hits it, it’s on me.'”

McClendon knew a thing or two about Martinez, who he had coached for years while with Detroit. Lowe knew this, but he still had to get the slider out of his mind. He was going to throw the manager’s pitch, but he had to make it his pitch before it left his hand.

“Before I toed the rubber I convinced myself it was the right pitch to throw, 100 percent conviction, and threw it,” said Lowe, who struck out Martinez with the fastball. “I went and told him after, ‘Hey, nice call there. Great pitch.'”

Credit of course goes to Lowe for executing on a tough location in a pressure situation. He appreciated the help from his skipper, however.

“That’s the perfect mound visit for me,” he said. “If he feels a certain way about a pitch, just let me know and I’m on board. I call my own games. I always will shake until I get the pitch I want to throw, but the manager coming out and telling me which pitch to throw? Well let’s go with it.”

The fastball worked, and three sliders to J.D. Martinez later, Lowe was out of the inning with the game still tied. The Mariners eventually picked up the win.

“We did need this,” said Lowe of the win. “You can only go so long with winning one, losing one. Winning two, losing two. From my experience this is the kind of thing you need to have happen to get rolling and feeling good about yourself on the flight home and come in tomorrow with a little extra energy and see what happens.”

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