SEATTLE — Rick Porcello saved the worst for last in a series filled with bad Red Sox starting pitching.
The right-hander couldn’t escape the third inning on Sunday at T-Mobile Park, joining a dishonor roll that includes fellow rotation members Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi and Eduardo Rodriguez.
The Mariners were only too happy to keep thundering their way through their opening home stand of the season, dismissing Boston in a 10-8 slugfest.
Seattle put [...]
SEATTLE — Rick Porcello saved the worst for last in a series filled with bad Red Sox starting pitching.
The right-hander couldn’t escape the third inning on Sunday at T-Mobile Park, joining a dishonor roll that includes fellow rotation members Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi and Eduardo Rodriguez.
The Mariners were only too happy to keep thundering their way through their opening home stand of the season, dismissing Boston in a 10-8 slugfest.
Seattle put up a touchdown and added the extra point in the bottom of the third inning, seven runs that opened up a 9-3 lead. These Red Sox became just the fourth team since 1908 to have starting pitchers allow at least six runs in the season’s first four games. The Mariners’ 34 runs in the series came one shy of setting a new record in this ballpark, which opened as Safeco Field in 1999.
It was the 128th start for Porcello with Boston and just the third time he’d issued as many as four walks. The second of those two outings came prior to the All-Star break last season, a 13-7 home pounding against the Blue Jays on July 13. Porcello was tagged for eight runs on that occasion – Seattle bettered that by one on Sunday.
The game-breaking rally was an extended one. The Mariners sent 11 men to the plate in the bottom of the third, as Omar Narvaez cracked a three-run homer to right to wipe out a 3-2 deficit. Mitch Haniger’s double to left against Brian Johnson was the capper, as a pair of inherited runners came around to give Seattle a six-run cushion and close the book on Porcello.
It seemed like the Red Sox got off to the ideal start in their quest to split the series. J.D. Martinez lashed an RBI single to left and Eduardo Nunez grounded a two-run single through the left side to make it 3-0 in the first. Porcello needed just 13 pitches to work a 1-2-3 frame and Boston had what felt like real momentum.
Then Seattle began to chip away in the second. Porcello allowed the first two men to reach and nearly wriggled out of the jam, retiring the next two batters. A walk to Daniel Vogelbach extended the inning and Dee Gordon shot a liner up the middle for a two-run single that made it 3-2.
A three-run homer down the line in left by Martinez in the fourth and a solo shot to left by Mookie Betts in the sixth were only enough to put the Red Sox within range. Rafael Devers flew out as the potential tying run in the eighth and four walks issued by Mariners’ relievers amounted to only one run in the ninth. Christian Vazquez struck out swinging and Jackie Bradley Jr. grounded to second against Chasen Bradford with the bases loaded, bringing an end to a disappointing opening weekend.
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @BillKoch25