Mariners at Tigers
For a light-hitting team, the Seattle Mariners are doing their best to discredit that notion to the Detroit Tigers. After belting out a season-high 15 hits in Tuesday's 7-4 victory, the Mariners matched that effort in Wednesday's 9-1 triumph. They'll vie for the sweep on Thursday afternoon.
Dustin Ackley had three hits and drove in three runs and Alex Liddi homered for the second straight contest on Wednesday. Seattle last swept a three-game series at Comerica Park on April 26-28, 2011.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSD (Detroit)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Hector Noesi (1-2, 9.49 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Rick Porcello (1-1, 6.32 ERA)
Noesi was brutalized for the second time in three outings last Friday when he yielded six runs on as many hits in 1 1/3 innings against the Chicago White Sox. The abbreviated start rocketed his ERA from 5.73 to a gaudy 9.49. The outing was of stark contrast to his previous trip to the mound, when he tossed eight shutout innings versus Oakland.
Speaking of disastrous starts, Porcello could readily relate to Noesi's troubles. The former first-round pick permitted nine runs on 10 hits in one inning to the Texas Rangers on Saturday. Porcello has fared well versus Seattle, winning three of four career starts with a slim 1.09 WHIP.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik dismissed the notion that the Mariners knew that pitcher Michael Pineda was injured prior to making an offseason deal with the New York Yankees for Jesus Montero. "Absolutely not," Zduriencik told ESPNNewYork.com. "None, whatsoever. Before the trade, he was going to be our No. 2 starter."
2. Speaking of Montero, the young catcher went 3-for-5 with two RBIs on Wednesday and has five hits in the series. He has yet to face Porcello. Ichiro Suzuki went 3-for-5 on both Tuesday and Wednesday and is 6-for-16 in his career against the hurler.
3. Brennan Boesch belted his second homer in three contests to account for Detroit's lone run on Wednesday. Like the rest of his teammates, Boesch has yet to face Noesi in his career.