Tigers at Mariners
Kyle Seager is mired in a 13-game homerless drought, but his second career walk-off hit positioned the Seattle Mariners halfway to a four-game sweep of the visiting Detroit Tigers entering Wednesday's contest. Seager drilled the decisive double in the bottom of the 10th inning on Tuesday as the Mariners captured a 5-4 decision for their third straight win.
Seager has contributed just seven homers so far this year after hitting 20 or more in each of the past five seasons, but he ranks second on the team with 42 RBIs. Nelson Cruz also has gone 13 consecutive games without going deep but produced a two-run double to regain the American League RBI lead with 55. Detroit is sinking with four straight defeats and nine in 12 games. Justin Upton hit a solo blast for the Tigers and has recorded five homers and 20 RBIs during a strong month.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (4-4, 4.50 ERA) vs. Mariners LH James Paxton (5-2, 3.23)
Verlander is winless in five starts since defeating Texas on May 20. One of his top outings of the season was a no-decision against the Mariners on April 27, when he allowed an unearned run and five hits over seven innings. Verlander is 10-8 with a 3.09 ERA in 21 career starts against Seattle and has struggled with Seager (7-for-17, two homers, three doubles).
Paxton has dropped back-to-back outings after winning his first five decisions. He allowed 11 runs and 15 hits over just 7 2/3 innings in the consecutive poor starts after posting a 1.69 ERA through his first eight turns. Paxton struck out nine and gave up four hits in seven scoreless frames to defeat Detroit on April 26 and is 2-1 with a 2.81 ERA in four career starts against the Tigers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners OF Ben Gamel went 3-for-5 with a homer on Tuesday and is batting .460 with 13 runs scored in 50 at-bats during his 12-game hitting streak.
2. Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera is 0-for-8 in the series and hitless in 10 at-bats over his last three games.
3. Seattle SS Jean Segura (ankle) is expected to return to the team for Thursday's series finale.