Mariners 8, Rockies 7
DENVER -- The Seattle Mariners carried timely hitting to remarkable lengths Monday night, scoring all their runs with two outs and holding on to beat the Colorado Rockies 8-7.
The Mariners packed seven runs in the first three innings while punishing Eddie Butler. He gave up back-to-back homers to third baseman Kyle Seager and left fielder Nelson Cruz in the second and yielded a homer to shortstop Brad Miller in the third. The three homers allowed were a career high for Butler (3-8).
Mariners starter Felix Hernandez (13-6) yielded four runs and a season-high 11 hits while throwing 111 pitches in 6 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out nine, including second baseman DJ LeMahieu four times. LeMahieu struck out a career-high five times.
Cruz's homer was his 30th of the season and 23rd on the road. He homered in a fourth consecutive game, all on the road.
The Rockies trimmed Seattle's lead to 7-4 in the sixth, scoring with two outs when center fielder Charlie Blackmon grounded a double inside third base. The hit knocked in catcher Nick Hundley, who led off with a single and stole second base. Blackmon went 4-for-6 with two doubles and an RBI, raising his average to .298.
The Mariners made it 8-4 on second baseman Robinson Cano's seventh-inning double. The hit, which dented the padding on the right field wall, came off Gonzalez Germen, who entered to face Cano after Christian Bergman issued consecutive two-out walks.
After third baseman Nolan Arenado singled to lead off the Rockies' ninth, Mariners left-hander Rob Rasmussen relieved Tom Wilhelmsen. Rasmussen left after giving up a single to right fielder Carlos Gonzalez, replaced by Carson Smith. The Seattle closer struck out LeMahieu, but first baseman Ben Paulsen doubled home two runs and catcher Nick Hundley followed with a run-scoring single to make it a one-run game.
Left fielder Kyle Parker singled, sending pinch runner Brandon Barnes to third. Pinch hitter Michael McKenry struck out, and Blackmon flied out to end the game and give Smith his 10th save.
Butler was lifted for a pinch hitter in the fourth, when the Rockies scored twice to cut Seattle's lead to 7-3.
Cano began the scoring in a four-run first with a single, driving in Seager, who had doubled. First baseman Jesus Montero rifled a two-run double into the gap in left-center and scored on Miller's single.
Hernandez made his first start against the Rockies, leaving the Cardinals as the only team he hasn't faced in his career. He gave up a run in the first when Blackmon led off with a double and shortstop Jose Reyes, making his home debut with the Rockies, followed with a run-scoring single.
The Mariners quickly boosted their lead in the second on back-to-back homers by Seager, his 16th, and Cruz.
Miller hit his ninth homer in the third, an opposite-field drive to left that left Butler bent over with his hands on his knees, visibly showing his dismay.
The Rockies parlayed four singles into two runs in the fourth. One run scored when Blackmon grounded into a fielder's choice with one out and the bases loaded, and the other scored on Reyes' RBI single.
NOTES: Mariners RF Nelson Cruz extended his hitting streak to 14 games. ... Rockies RHP Jon Gray, the third overall pick in the 2013 draft, will start Tuesday in his major league debut. He is replacing injured RHP Kyle Kendrick (right shoulder inflammation) in the Rockies' rotation. ... Rockies RF Carlos Gonzalez was named National League Player of the Month for July after hitting .386 with 11 homers, 24 RBIs and an .841 slugging percentage during the month. ... Rockies RHP Chad Bettis (right elbow) will throw about 15 pitches in a bullpen session Tuesday, his first since he went on the disabled list July 19. ... Mariners 2B Robinson Cano sufficiently recovered from an abdominal strain to start in the field. He missed three games from July 29-31 and then served as the Mariners' DH on Saturday and Sunday at Minnesota. ... Ketel Marte played center field for Seattle for the first time after making his major league debut at second base Friday and starting three games at that position in Cano's absence.