Bryce Miller, bullpen toss 1-hitter as Mariners sweep Reds

SEATTLE — Bryce Miller and three relievers mixed on a one-hitter, Cal Raleigh, Mitch Garver and Josh Rojas all hit solo residence runs, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-1 on Wednesday to finish a three-game sweep.

Miller (3-1) continued his sensible stretch of pitching with the lone hit he allowed changing into the one earned run scored in opposition to him in his final three begins.

Miller gave up a solo residence run to Elly De La Cruz within the second when a slider stayed on the plate and did not get low sufficient, however the right-hander was in any other case untouchable over six innings.

Miller mentioned he struggled early with pulling his fastball, however was capable of make wanted changes as the sport went on and relied on a few of the secondary pitches he did not have final season.

“Last year whenever I felt like this, then I felt like I was just in a hole,” Miller mentioned. “Whereas now if something’s not working, I can go to something else.”

Miller walked Tyler Stephenson instantly after De La Cruz’s homer, however then retired the ultimate 13 batters he confronted. Miller struck out seven and lowered his ERA to 1.85. Trent Thornton, Gabe Speier and Austin Voth completed off the one-hitter by every working an inning of reduction.

“We are driven by our pitching staff and playing really good defense and I think that’s the thing that stood out for me here over the last probably week or so is we have played much cleaner baseball,” Seattle supervisor Scott Servais mentioned.

Cincinnati starter Andrew Abbott matched Miller by way of the primary 5 innings, permitting solely a two-out solo residence run to Raleigh within the second. Abbott (1-2) escaped extra hassle that inning after Dylan Moore was stranded after a triple. Seattle additionally bought a double from Julio Rodriguez within the third — his first extra-base hit since Opening Day — however he was left at third as effectively.

But Garver got here by way of with two outs within the sixth, hitting an 0-1 pitch out to left discipline for his first homer with the Mariners. Garver had simply two hits in his earlier 25 at-bats earlier than hitting his first lengthy ball since Sept. 25 of final season whereas with Texas.

“This pitching has been keeping us afloat, we’ve been winning some tight games,” Garver mentioned. “If we can continue to do what we did today — lay off the balls, hit the strikes — we’re in a good spot.”

Rojas got here on as a pinch-hitter main off the seventh and greeted the primary pitch from Lucas Sims together with his first homer of the 12 months. Seattle added two extra within the inning on Mitch Haniger’s RBI single and Raleigh’s bases loaded stroll.

Sims recorded simply two outs, gave up three runs and walked 4.

“Of course, never want to get swept, but three games that doesn’t define our team by any means,” Reds supervisor David Bell mentioned. “So not happy about this, how it went. To your point, they made it tough.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: Illness continues to be a difficulty for Cincinnati as Christian Encarnacion-Strand was scratched after not feeling effectively. Encarnacion-Strand was within the unique posted lineup, however was changed about two hours earlier than first pitch. Cincinnati scratched Jeimer Candelario from the lineup Tuesday after he wasn’t feeling effectively.

Mariners: Utilityman Sam Haggerty was reinstated from the 10-day injured record, however was then optioned to Triple-A Tacoma. Haggerty had been on a rehab stint with Tacoma after beginning the season on the IL. He was hitting. 286 with a .708 OPS in six rehab video games with Tacoma.

UP NEXT

Reds: Open a sequence at residence in opposition to the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. No starter has been introduced.

Mariners: Seattle opens a street journey at Colorado on Friday. RHP Emerson Hancock (1-1, 7.98) begins the opener.