Tigers at Mariners
The Seattle Mariners didn't have a single baserunner through five innings of their latest victory but are in position to complete a four-game sweep of the visiting Detroit Tigers on Thursday. Seattle emerged from Wednesday's slumber to post a 7-5 victory, moving ahead for good on Robinson Cano's two-run double in the seventh inning.
Nelson Cruz drove in three runs for the Mariners to increase his American League RBI lead to 58 while Ben Gamel recorded two hits to raise his average to .463 during his 13-game hitting streak. Jean Segura (ankle) was activated prior to the contest and went 1-for-3 with two runs scored to help Seattle win its fourth consecutive game. Detroit has struggled of late, losing five straight contests and 10 of its last 13. Justin Upton registered three RBIs to increase his total this month to 23, but the Tigers squandered a 4-0 lead despite Justin Verlander retiring the first 16 batters he faced.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Detroit, ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Daniel Norris (4-4, 4.42 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Andrew Moore (NR)
Norris has won consecutive outings after experiencing a six-start winless drought. The 24-year-old is 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA in seven road starts this season. Norris is 0-1 with a 5.19 ERA in four career turns against the Mariners and has struggled with Cruz (4-for-6, one homer), Guillermo Heredia (4-for-6, one homer) and Cano (4-for-10, three doubles).
Moore was brought up from Triple-A Tacoma to replace the struggling Yovani Gallardo (3-7, 6.30) in the rotation. The 23-year-old Moore, who played collegiately at Oregon State, was 4-3 with a 2.72 ERA in minor-league stops at Double-A Arkansas and Tacoma this season. "Andrew Moore has been a very good performer and on our radar since Day One," Seattle manager Scott Servais told reporters. "He's a high draft pick (second round, 2015) and we really liked what we saw in spring training, so we're going to give him a shot."
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners 1B Danny Valencia is 3-for-25 with nine strikeouts over his last seven games.
2. Detroit SS Jose Iglesias is hitless in eight at-bats over his last two contests and was unable to track Segura's high pop-up that helped fuel Seattle's three-run sixth inning.
3. Cruz is homerless in his last 14 games but has recorded five doubles in that span.