SEATTLE (AP) — Troy Melton threw seven sharp innings and Colt Keith hit a two-run single as the Detroit Tigers beat the Seattle Mariners 8-0 on Tuesday night to open their post-Tarik Skubal era.
Detroit (55-58) has won four straight and is one of several teams chasing the final AL wild card spot, moving within 1 1/2 games of Cleveland. Seattle (55-59) has lost nine of 13 and dropped 3 1/2 games behind Houston in the AL West.
The Tigers have scored at
least eight runs in six straight games, tied for the longest such streak in franchise history.
Melton (7-1) continued his string of dominance since starting the season on the injured list. The right-hander, who has not allowed a run in his last 14 innings, struck out four, walked two and gave up three hits, lowering his ERA to 1.58 in 12 starts. He did not allow a Seattle batter to advance past second base.
The Tigers pulled ahead in the third inning. With two outs, Riley Greene hit a grounder to shortstop Colt Emerson, who made a poor throw to first, allowing a run to score. Keith followed with his single to right that made it 3-0.
Greene homered in the fifth against Emerson Hancock (6-6), who gave up four runs (three earned) in six innings.
Seranthony Domínguez allowed four runs while only recording one out in his Mariners debut, yielding a two-run home run by Gleyber Torres and a solo shot by Dillon Dingler in the ninth. Designated hitter Taylor Ward, acquired from Baltimore at the trade deadline, went 0 for 3 in his first game for Seattle.
RHP Bryan Woo (7-8, 4.56 ERA) pitches for Seattle on Wednesday against Detroit RHP Drew Anderson (4-4, 4.24).
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