SEATTLE (AP) — Mitch Haniger hit a game-ending three-run double as the Seattle Mariners rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3 on Thursday night.
Luke Raley, who homered in the bottom of the sixth to get Seattle on the scoreboard after Detroit led 3-0, opened the ninth with a single against Tyler Holton. Will Vest (2-4) then relieved and gave up a single to Randy Arozarena before striking out the next two batters.
After Jorge Polanco walked to load the bases, Haniger hit a fly ball that got past Tigers right fielder Ryan Vilade to give the Mariners the win.
It was Haniger’s franchise-leading eighth walk-off, including a bases-loaded walk in the 10th to beat the Phillies last Saturday.
“Anytime you’re on an all-time list is awesome,” Haniger said. “Really blessed and grateful to play this game and to be on the list, and honestly in these situations, (I’m) just trying to keep it simple and stay in the moment. For me, it’s like just breathe and relax and try to take it as any other at bat.”
Reliever J.T. Chargois (2-0) pitched a scoreless ninth to get the win and help Seattle snap a three-game losing streak.
With Houston off Thursday, Seattle pulled back into a tie with the Astros atop the AL West.
“We caught a break tonight,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “They weren’t able to make that play, and we’ll take it. We needed it. There are certain points in the year where you need to win a game, and I thought coming into this we needed to win this game today. It wasn’t looking great, but our pitching gave us a chance.”
Hits were hard to come by for both teams early on, as Mariners starter Bryan Woo retired the first 12 batters he faced and Cal Raleigh got the Mariners first hit with a single in the fourth against Tigers lefty Bryan Sammons.
However, Woo’s perfect start came to an end in the top of the fifth, when he allowed back to back singles to start the inning and Meadows hit an RBI double down the right-field line to make it 1-0.
Meadows finished off a torrid series with two more hits. He homered and drove in two runs on Tuesday, and robbed Raleigh of a home run in Detroit’s 6-2 victory on Wednesday
Two batters later, Zach McKinstry hit a two-run double to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead.
Woo allowed five hits and three earned runs over 6 2/3 innings, with seven strikeouts.
“We had some really good at-bats against another tough pitcher,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He missed some bats tonight. We got the lead and just couldn’t hold it.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tigers: RHP Casey Mize (hamstring) pitched 2 1/3 innings on Thursday in a rehab start for Triple-A Toledo, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out two.
Mariners: OF Julio Rodriguez (ankle sprain) ran in the outfield and on the bases, the second day in a row he has tested his injured ankle. Servais still has no timetable for his return.
ROSTER MOVES
Mariners: OF Dominic Canzone (right adductor strain) was activated from the 10-Day IL on Thursday and RHP Eduard Bazardo was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma. In corresponding moves, RHP Jonathan Hernández was designated for assignment and INF Jason Vosler was optioned to Tacoma.
UP NEXT
Tigers: No starter has been announced for Friday’s series opener in San Francisco against Giants LHP Robbie Ray (2-1, 4.40 ERA).
Mariners: RHP Bryce Miller (8-7, 3.62 ERA) will pitch on Friday in the series opener against Mets LHP Jose Quintana (6-7, 3.95).
___