SEATTLE -- In their first of three matchups against a former Cy Young Award winner, the Mariners broke through in a big way on Wednesday afternoon, tagging Tigers ace Tarik Skubal for just enough run production to eke out a 3-2 victory and avoid a three-game sweep.
And thanks to seven strong innings of two-run ball from Luis Castillo and a lockdown effort from Gabe Speier and Andrés Muñoz -- who worked out of a tense bases-loaded jam -- Seattle finished its season-opening homestand on a high note and will take a 3-4 record into its first off-day before a weekend series in San Francisco.
The game also represented a turnaround for the Mariners against a team that tormented them last year, having lost five of six to the Tigers in a 10-day span -- then finishing one game behind them in the American League playoff standings as the first team on the outside.
Here were the day¡¯s three defining moments:
1) Mu?oz¡¯s massive escape
The All-Star closer was the hero when securing his third save, but he was pitching in code-red territory after walking each of his first two batters on nine pitches then falling into a bases-loaded jam after surrendering a one-out single.
That prompted Tigers manager A.J. Hinch to pinch-hit for Javier B¨¢ez -- who took Mu?oz deep for a gut-wrenching and game-sealing homer last August in Detroit in what was maybe their most stinging loss of the season.
¡°As soon as Javy B¨¢ez stepped in, for some reason, I got mad,¡± Mu?oz said, ¡°and I tried to throw the hardest that I could.¡±
This time, though, Mu?oz induced a forceout at the plate that only manifested thanks to a great play by third baseman Dylan Moore and a nice corral by catcher Mitch Garver.
¡°That's the ballgame,¡± Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.
Mu?oz then punctuated his performance with a three-pitch strikeout to Zach McKinstry, who swung over an out-of-zone slider to end the game -- at which point he paced to the plate with an uppercut right fist.
¡°I have more confidence in myself, especially knowing who I am and what my strengths are,¡± Mu?oz said. ¡°So every time that I go out there, I try to prepare every day like I'm going to close the game.¡±
2) Robles¡¯ heads-up hit
Skubal, who was the unanimous winner of last year¡¯s top pitching honor, surrendered a two-run double to Victor Robles in the second inning then a solo homer to Moore in the fourth, and he probably would¡¯ve pitched deeper and had a cleaner line if not for a defensive blunder behind him just before Robles¡¯ big hit.
That moment served as the game¡¯s biggest momentum swing, when Tigers second baseman Colt Keith -- who first eyed a double play then a force out -- allowed J.P. Crawford to reach first base and Moore to reach second. Robles then ripped a first-pitch changeup 101.6 mph and off the left-field wall.
¡°I just got very excited,¡± Robles said through an interpreter. ¡°Obviously, we had two outs there, so I came in with the mentality that I've got to bring a run in there. ... [Keith] made that [mistake], and I knew we had to take advantage of that.¡±
Seattle¡¯s overall effort vs. Skubal represented a positive, too, as the Mariners were hitless the rest of the way after Robles¡¯ leadoff single in the first inning in Tuesday¡¯s loss, and they entered the day slashing .166/.285/.297 (.582 OPS) with a 27.4% strikeout rate.
3) Castillo cooks up gem
¡°La Piedra¡± looked much more like his best self, working around a solo homer to Trey Sweeney then an RBI groundout to Riley Greene, who was on fire all series (5-for-9 with two homers and two doubles). It was just the third time since last year¡¯s All-Star break that the workhorse cleared seven frames.
Castillo also retired seven of his final eight batters and spelled a bullpen that has already logged 26 2/3 innings, tied for fifth most in the Majors.
Yet individually, it was an encouraging start for the staff veteran, given that he struggled with command for extended stretches last season and finished the final three weeks on the injured list.
¡°When you do something like this,¡± Castillo said through an interpreter, ¡°it definitely does help you mentally and just helps you prepare, letting you know some of the things are right for the season.¡±