SEATTLE (AP) — José Ramírez scored on a bases-loaded error by catcher Cal Raleigh in the 10th, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Seattle Mariners 6-5 on Sunday in the major leagues’ first extra-inning game this season.
Cleveland’s Tim Herrin, a 26-year-old left-hander, struck out all four batters he faced in his major league debut, the first pitcher to accomplish that feat since the mound was moved to its current distance in 1893, according to the Elias Sport Bureau.
“I mean, we showed up to win, but watching him do that today kind of gave us a good feeling anyway,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said.
Former Mariner Mike Zunino hit a three-run homer and had three hits as Cleveland came from behind three times and won three of four from the Mariners.
Ramírez was walked intentionally and Penn Murfee (0-1) loaded the bases with a walk to Josh Bell. Josh Naylor hit a comebacker to reliever Gabe Speier, who threw home for the forceout on Steven Kwan. Raleigh, the catcher, trying for a 1-2-3 double play, bounced his throw past first baseman Ty France for an error as Ramirez scored.
Zunino put Cleveland ahead with a three-run homer in the second off Marco Gonzales, then doubled and scored in the fifth inning as the Guardians tied the score at 4. His fifth-inning double dropped between diving shortstop J.P. Crawford and center fielder Julio Rodríguez, setting up pinch-runner Will Brennan’s score on Kwan’s sixth RBI of the series.
Zunino, who played in Seattle from 2013-18, missed half of last season for Tampa Bay with thoracic outlet surgery and signed with the Guardians in the offseason. The game Sunday marked the second time he had three extra-base hits.
“I spent a lot of time here, so it’s one of those where, whether it’s the backdrop, the atmosphere, there’s something about going to places you’re familiar with,” Zunino said. “And this is definitely one of the top places for that.”
Enyel De Los Santos (1-0) struck out pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella with Teoscar Hernández at third in the ninth inning. Trevor Stephan earned his first save with a strikeout in the 10th.
Rodríguez hit a first-pitch home run to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead and Rodríguez, Eugenio Suárez, France and Raleigh all had two hits for Seattle, which has lost three in a row after winning the opener.
Raleigh, who had a two-run double, said he felt Naylor might have been on the field side of the baseline in the 10th. But regardless, the Mariners made a series of mistakes that they weren’t able to overcome following their opening-day victory.
“We just didn’t play good baseball this weekend,” Raleigh said.
FIRST-PITCH FACTS
Rodríguez’s first-pitch homer was his seventh leadoff homer for the Mariners. second in team history behind Ichiro Suzuki’s 37. It was the 2022 AL Rookie of the Year’s fourth home run on the first pitch of the game and the 14th in team history. Suzuki did it nine times.
UP NEXT
Guardians: RHP Zach Plesac, winner of just three of 15 decisions last season, makes his first start of 2023 as Cleveland travels to Oakland on Monday.
Mariners: Second-year starter RHP George Kirby faces Los Angeles for the fifth time in his career after striking out 29 Angels in 23 2/3 innings last season.
___