Mariners 5, Giants 1
SAN FRANCISCO -- Right-hander Taijuan Walker pitched seven strong innings, third baseman Kyle Seager hit a solo home run, and the Seattle Mariners defeated the San Francisco Giants 5-1 Monday night at AT&T Park.
The Giants lost their ninth consecutive home game, the franchise's longest home skid since an 11-game losing streak in 1940 at the Polo Grounds in New York. The Giants has been outscored 45-17 during the losing streak at AT&T.
The hard-throwing Walker, who turns 23 in August, allowed one run on seven hits. He struck out six, walked none and threw 98 pitches.
Walker (4-6) continued his strong rebound from a rough beginning to the season. After going 1-5 with a 7.33 ERA over his first nine starts, he is 3-1 in his past four, allowing a combined five earned runs in 29 innings with 27 strikeouts and three walks.
Seattle first baseman Logan Morrison went 3-for-5, drove in a run, stole a base and scored twice.
Seager went 2-for-4. His solo homer off left-handed reliever Jeremy Affeldt in the eighth extended Seattle's lead to 4-1. In the ninth, Morrison singled with two outs, stole second and scored on center fielder Austin Jackson's single.
Giants right-hander Tim Hudson (4-6) gave up three runs on eight hits over five innings. He struck out three and walked one. Hudson fell to 19-23 in interleague play and is tied with Barry Zito and Derek Lowe for the most interleague losses in major league history.
Shortstop Brandon Crawford went 2-for-4 with a double and scored the Giants' only run. Center fielder Angel Pagan had a pair of hits in four at-bats.
The Mariners were coming off a 13-0 loss Sunday at Houston, and they were shut out in three of their past four games before facing the slumping Giants.
Seattle grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning off Hudson. Morrison lined a leadoff single to right, moved to second on Jackson's single, then tagged up and advanced to third on second baseman Robinson Cano's fly out to deep center.
Right fielder Nelson Cruz brought Morrison home with a ground ball to second baseman Joe Panik. Panik flipped to shortstop Brandon Crawford for the force, and Cruz barely beat Crawford's throw to first, avoiding a double play.
The Giants pulled even with a run in the second. Crawford lined a leadoff single, moved to second on third baseman Matt Duffy's single and took third on Hudson's groundout. Left fielder Nori Aoki drove in Crawford with an infield single.
Seattle answered with two runs in the fifth to take a 3-1 lead.
Shortstop Brad Miller led off with a single and moved to second on catcher Mike Zunino's single. With one out, Morrison lined an RBI single to right, driving in Miller and moving Zunino to third. Jackson followed with a pop up to shallow right field that fell just beyond Panik's glove. Panik fired to second for the forceout, but Zunino scored on a ball that rookie right fielder Jarrett Parker probably should have caught.
NOTES: The Mariners called up OF James Jones from Triple-A Tacoma. He filled the roster spot that opened after the Mariners' game Sunday at Houston when they optioned RHP Danny Farquhar to Tacoma. ... Mariners LF Mark Trumbo (back spasms) was out of the starting lineup for the second consecutive game. ... Mariners RHP Kevin Gregg, who made seven appearances at Tacoma after signing as a free agent with Seattle, opted out of his contract. ... Giants RF Hunter Pence (left wrist tendinitis) resumed baseball activities Monday, playing catch. He is scheduled to swing a bat Tuesday. ... San Francisco OF Gregor Blanco (concussion) continued making good strides in his recovery and said he hasn't felt any dizziness since early Sunday morning. He was scheduled to ride an exercise bike for 20 minutes. "We're hoping Wednesday or Thursday to have him back," manager Bruce Bochy said. ... Giants RHP Jean Machi (left groin strain) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Monday with Triple-A Sacramento.