SEATTLE (AP) — Kyle Seager became the beneficiary of Ty France’s ability to be a pest at the plate.
Seager slapped an opposite-field, bases-clearing double for the big blow in Seattle’s seven-run sixth inning, and the Mariners avoided a sweep with an 8-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.
Seager had three hits, and his two-out liner down the left-field line cleared the bases as the Mariners posted their highest-scoring inning of the young season. But Seager got his chance at hitting in the inning because France refused to relent.
“That was an incredible at-bat. He worked him like crazy,” Seager said.
France fell behind 0-2, fouled off four two-strike pitches and walked on the 11th pitch of the at-bat from Chicago’s Matt Foster to keep the inning alive for Seager.
“It’s pretty awesome to watch. He did not back down. He was not going to give in,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “He kept fighting, fighting, fighting and ended up with the walk, and kind of opened the flood gates after that.”
Taylor Trammell, J.P. Crawford and Jose Marmolejos all had RBI singles in the inning, and Mitch Haniger added a sacrifice fly.
Almost all of that damage came off Foster who took over after Dallas Keuchel allowed the first two batters of the inning to reach. Foster (0-1) recorded just two outs, and allowed five hits and five earned runs before getting lifted.
Chicago manager Tony La Russa said he mismanaged the inning and left Foster in for too long.
“That’s probably the clearest example why I’m upset with myself, (Foster) faced too many hitters,” La Russa said.
Keuchel allowed three runs, struck out three and walked three in his second start of the season.
Seattle starter Justin Dunn allowed only one hit, but couldn’t finish the fifth inning due…
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