Marlins Look To Bounce Back After Series Opening Loss In Seattle
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SEATTLE (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – A pair of teams trying to climb to the top of their respective divisions will lock horns again in the Pacific Northwest.
The Seattle Mariners have overcome a sluggish start and attempt to record their fifth consecutive victory when they host the Miami Marlins on Tuesday for the second contest of their three-game series.
The Mariners took the opener 6-1 on Monday and have allowed fewer than two runs three times during the winning streak that followed a 2-8 start.
Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz hit back-to-back homers in Monday's win while hot-hitting rookie Taylor Motter went deep for the third time in 28 major-league at-bats.
Motter is filling in at shortstop for the injured Jean Segura (hamstring) and is batting .321 with a .786 slugging percentage as seven of his nine hits have gone for extra bases.
The defeat halted Miami's three-game winning streak as it came in the opener of a nine-game road trip. Marlins third baseman Martin Prado (hamstring) made his season debut and went 1-for-3.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Wei-Yin Chen (1-0, 7.00 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Yovani Gallardo (0-1, 6.30)
Chen was torched for six runs and seven hits in three innings by the New York Mets in his last start and was fortunate to escape without a loss.
The rocky outing followed a solid first turn in which he beat the Mets by allowing one run and seven hits in six frames on April 7.
The 31-year-old Chen is 3-3 with a 3.04 ERA in eight career starts against Seattle, shutting down Kyle Seager (2-for-23) while keeping Cano (7-for-31, one homer) in check.
Gallardo is looking for his first win with Seattle after struggling in each of his first two outings.
He has an unsightly 2.10 WHIP after allowing 15 hits and six walks in 10 innings, and opponents are batting .357 against the 31-year-old.
Gallardo always fared well against the Marlins when he was with Milwaukee and is 5-1 with a 1.90 ERA in eight career starts.
WALK-OFFS
- Miami OF Marcell Ozuna was named National League Player of the Week on Monday while Seattle LHP James Paxton was the AL recipient.
- Mariners RHP Steve Cishek (hip) began a rehab stint at Double-A Arkansas and tossed an 18-pitch scoreless inning on Monday.
- Marlins LF Ichiro Suzuki, a former star with the Mariners, went 0-for-3 on Monday in his first game in Seattle since 2014.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
