Mariners at Phillies
Catcher Carlos Ruiz will be sporting an unfamiliar uniform on Tuesday in his return to Citizens Bank Park as the Seattle Mariners play the opener of a two-game interleague series against the Philadelphia Phillies. A member of the Phillies' 2008 World Series team, Ruiz spent parts of 11 seasons in the City of Brotherly Love before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in August and ultimately finding a home in the Pacific Northwest.
The 38-year-old Ruiz is just 3-for-26 in sporadic duty but is likely to see more time behind the plate after Seattle sent former starter Mike Zunino to Triple-A Tacoma over the weekend. The Mariners won four of their last five games against American League West rivals Los Angeles and Texas, with Kyle Seager capping his third multi-hit performance in four outings on Sunday with a solo homer in the eighth inning of a 4-3 victory over the Rangers. Seattle takes a less-than-desirable 5-12 road mark into Philadelphia, which snapped a five-game skid by rallying from three runs down on Sunday to upend Washington 6-5 in 10 innings. Cesar Hernandez is 9-for-24 during his five-game hitting streak while Odubel Herrera has collected four doubles during that stretch.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOTNW (Seattle), TCN (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Ariel Miranda (3-2, 3.55 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jerad Eickhoff (0-3, 4.00)
Miranda recorded his second straight victory on Thursday despite taking a shot off the calf from Yunel Escobar in the second inning. The 28-year-old Cuban overcame a two-run second inning and kept the Angels under wraps the rest of the way during his seven-frame stint in an 11-3 triumph. Miranda kept the ball in the park after being taken deep three times in his previous two games and six on the season.
Eickhoff has answered four straight strong starts with back-to-back setbacks, combining to allow nine runs on 14 hits in 11 1/3 innings. The 26-year-old was faring well versus the Chicago Cubs before aggressive baserunning and timely hitting highlighted a four-run sixth inning in a 5-4 loss on Wednesday. Jean Segura recorded his 11th multi-hit performance of the season on Sunday and is 4-for-5 versus Eickhoff.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle 2B Robinson Cano has hit safely in 16 of his last 20 games, batting .300 with five homers, 14 runs scored and 15 RBIs in that stretch.
2. Philadelphia, which is beginning interleague play on Tuesday, posted a respectable 11-9 mark against American League representatives last season.
3. Seager has hit safely in 10 of his last 12 games, batting .318 with two homers, six RBIs and as many runs scored in that stretch.