SEATTLE — Wade Miley shaved off most of his grizzly beard before throwing seven shutout innings to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 7-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday.
Nelson Cruz hit two home runs as the Mariners snapped a four-game slide and ended Cleveland’s season-long winning streak at six games.
Miley (6-2) bounced back from a rough outing his last time out to silence the Indians’ bats for seven innings, allowing just four hits while striking out three.
Seattle had a 7-0 lead when reliever Joaquin Benoit came on to open the eighth and gave up a solo home run to Lonnie Chisenhall.
One day after Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer held them to five hits and one run, the Mariners erupted for 10 hits while putting the Indians away early. Cruz, Robinson Cano, Seth Smith, Adam Lind and shortstop Shawn O’Malley all had two hits for Seattle.
O’Malley and catcher Steve Clevenger — two backups who were hitting at the bottom of the order — came through with two-RBI, extra-base hits in the four-run fourth.
Cruz hit a two-run homer in the first inning and added a solo shot, his 15th home run of the season, in the fifth.
Seattle had runners on first and second with two outs in the fourth when designated hitter Lind hit a routine grounder right at Cleveland shortstop Francisco Lindor. He initially waited for second baseman Jason Kipnis to cover the base but, upon realizing that Kipnis was not going to beat the runner to the base, Lindor instead threw quickly to first but not in time. That loaded the bases for Clevenger, whose two-run double opened up a 4-0 lead. O’Malley tripled in the next at-bat, driving in two more runs for a 6-0 lead.
That ended the night for starter Cody Anderson, who was called up earlier in the day but lasted just 3 2/3 innings. He allowed six runs off seven hits.
Cruz’s 14th home run of the season gave the Mariners a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Cruz hit a two-out, two-run shot to left-center field after Cano singled in front of him. His solo home run with two outs in the fifth put Seattle ahead 7-0.
Foul tips in the second inning knocked one Indians player out of the game and nearly sidelined another. After left fielder Jose Ramirez fouled a ball off his lower left leg but was able to stay in the game in the top of the inning, Cleveland catcher Yan Gomes suffered a more significant injury in the bottom of the second. Gomes took a Dae-Ho Lee foul tip to the groin area and had to be replaced by Chris Gimenez.
Gomes was able to walk off under his own power, and the Indians announced that he suffered a testicular contusion.
NOTES: Seattle SS Ketel Marte (neck spasms) was not in Tuesday’s lineup. Marte came off the 15-day disabled list Monday, going 1-for-3 in his first action since May 21. … The Indians recalled RHP Cody Anderson from Triple-A Columbus to make the start Tuesday. Cleveland needed another starter because RHP Danny Salazar skipped a start to rest a tired shoulder. To make room for Anderson on the roster, the Indians optioned reliever Austin Adams to Columbus. … Seattle C Chris Iannetta, who had a costly error in Monday’s loss, was not in the Mariners’ lineup Tuesday. He got a routine off day with backup Steve Clevenger behind the plate. … Seattle RHP Felix Hernandez, who is eligible to come off the disabled list early next week, was wearing a walking boot to protect his strained calf muscle Tuesday. Hernandez has already missed two starts, and there is no known estimate for his return to action. … Cleveland RHP Joba Chamberlain was eligible to come off the Indians’ disabled list Tuesday, but was not activated before the game. Chamberlain is a candidate to be on the roster if Cleveland decides to option RHP Cody Anderson — Tuesday’s starter — back to Triple-A after the game.