Seattle, WA
Crawford's slam, Miller's arm help Seattle Mariners thump Angels
SEATTLE (AP) — J.P. Crawford hit a grand slam, Bryce Miller struck out nine in six smooth innings and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-0 on Saturday.
Seattle Mariners 9, Los Angeles Angels 0: Box Score
Miller (5-5) allowed just three hits for the Mariners, who lead the AL West on June 1 for the first time since 2003. They have won seven straight home series and six of their last seven games overall. Seattle (33-27) is a season-high six games over .500.
“That was a fun ballgame, it really was,” manager Scott Servais said.
Seattle got nine hits, including three from Julio Rodríguez, and two home runs — a day after firing bench coach and offensive coordinator Brant Brown.
“I think we’re just freeing things up,” Servais said, “and I know that it’s been a point of emphasis over the last couple of days. Let’s free these players up, let’s talk about and really focus on what they do well and playing to their strengths.”
Miller gave up leadoff singles in the first and second, but after switching up his strategy to throw more four-seam fastballs and breaking pitches, he allowed just one more hit and never permitted a runner past second base.
“Yeah, like, the second inning, I don’t know where the fastball went, but I lost it,” Miller said.
“I guess it fell out of my pocket or something, but we found it between innings.”
It was the second-year right-hander’s 11th career game with six or more innings and three or fewer hits allowed, and the ninth time this season he’s held an opponent to two or fewer earned runs. His eight quality starts bring the Mariners’ major league-leading total to 36.
Angels starter Reid Detmers (3-6) set up Crawford’s fourth-inning slam, a line drive to right field, with a pair of walks that loaded the bases. He yielded four hits and five earned runs with three strikeouts and four walks in 3 2/3 innings.
Video: Seattle Mariners SS J.P Crawford belts grand slam vs Angels
After the game, Detmers was demoted to Triple-A Salt Lake.
While not known for his power, Crawford is known for his confidence, and the shortstop had little doubt he would produce runs in his fourth-inning at-bat. He’s batting .650 with three grand slams and 34 RBIs with the bases loaded since the start of 2023.
“I was just trying to be quick to the ball and not do too much,” Crawford said. “He threw me (a curveball) on the previous at-bat before and I got a feel for it, then just reacted and it went over. Thankfully, the roof was closed.”
Cal Raleigh hit a two-run double to cap a four-run sixth. Luke Raley had a solo homer and Rodríguez added his second RBI single of the game. The star center fielder has reached base safely in eight straight games after a slow start.
Raley rakes 💪 #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/ma6XYaXcU3
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) June 2, 2024
PURE BLISS
Seattle, WA
5 Things to Know for Auburn’s NIT Clash with Seattle
Looking to extend the country’s longest non-conference home win streak to 66, Auburn (18-16) hosts Seattle U (21-13) Sunday at 5:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and the Auburn Sports Network (106.7 FM), where Andy Burcham and Randall Dickey will describe the action for listeners.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW:
- Auburn’s win over South Alabama extended the Tigers’ nation-best non-conference home winning streak to 65 straight games. It’s a streak that dates back to the 2016-17 season.
- The Tigers made a season high 16 3-pointers against South Alabama and tied a school record with 44 3-point attempts.
- Kevin Overton made seven 3-pointers (all in the second half) against South Alabama and now has 80 triples this season. He is four 3-pointers away from cracking the top 10 for single-season 3-pointers at Auburn.
- With 636 points this season, Keyshawn Hall is ninth on Auburn’s single-season scoring list. Hall notched his 18th game of scoring 20 or more points against South Alabama with 21 points against the Jags.
- Led by Will Heimbrodt’s 86 blocks this season, Seattle U ranks 12th nationally in blocks per game (4.9) and is also top 25 in scoring defense (66.6 – 23rd) and turnovers forced (14.94 – 21st). Heimbrodt is the WCC Defensive Player of the Year.
There’s nothing mid-major about Seattle U’s defense.
Auburn’s second-round NIT opponent, the Redhawks, rank No. 23 in the country in scoring defense, allowing fewer than 67 points per game.
“One of the better defensive teams we’ll have gone against all year,” Auburn coach Steven Pearl said. “Incredibly active, they really fly around and make what you do really difficult.”
After defeating South Alabama 78-67 on Tuesday in the opening round of the NIT, Auburn hosts Seattle U on Sunday. The Redhawks advanced to round two by defeating St. Thomas (MN) 67-52.
“Our guys are going to have to show up and be excited about playing because if we don’t, this is a team that is capable, defensively, of making you look bad,” Pearl said.
Seattle U ranks No. 12 nationally in forcing turnovers, causing nearly 15 per game while blocking almost five shots per game (No. 21) and holding teams to 41.5-percent shooting (No. 42).
“They play hard, and that makes your defense so much better when you give multiple efforts like that at all five positions,” Pearl said.
Against the Jaguars’ zone defense in round one, Auburn hit a season-high 16 3-pointers, with Kevin Overton swishing seven.
“He knows that every time he shoots the ball, we think it’s going in,” Pearl said. “We can’t change what we do a ton because what we do has been effective, offensively, but we also have to understand that this is a really good defensive team, and we have to be disciplined in a lot of things we’re doing.”
Redhawks No Stranger to Big Names
Like Auburn, which earned high-profile victories this season over Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky, and St. John’s, Seattle U also has brag-worthy wins at Stanford and at home against Washington, Washington State, and Oregon State.
Representing the West Coast Conference, Seattle U would like nothing better than to end the season for a Southeastern Conference opponent on Auburn’s home court.
“I know this is going to be an important one for them,” Pearl said. “It’s an important one for us as well. Our guys, once we show them the film, they’re going to realize pretty quickly how real and how legit these guys are.”
“This game is an important one for both groups,” Pearl said. “We’re going to have to play well to beat them. It’s another great opportunity to compete against a really good team from a great conference.”
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Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer
Seattle, WA
Seattle Mariners re-assign 3 players to minor league camp
The Seattle Mariners re-assigned outfielder Brennan Davis, right-handed pitcher Dane Dunning and left-handed pitcher Jhonathan Díaz to minor league camp on Friday.
Gilbert’s final spring start features surprises from Raleigh
Seattle’s spring training roster is now at 38 players, with 33 from the 40-man roster, four non-roster invitees and one player on the 60-day injured list.
Davis, 26, had been one of the Mariners’ surprise standouts during camp after arriving on a minor league contract. The former top prospect went 12 for 34 over 15 games while producing a .353/.450/.824 slash line with a 1.274 OPS, four homers, four doubles, six RBIs and five walks to 11 strikeouts.
Dunning, 31, was also in camp on a minor league deal. He allowed four runs on five hits and five walks while striking out four over 6 1/3 innings in three appearances. The right-hander also pitched for South Korea during the World Baseball Classic, surrendering two runs over three innings in three apperances.
Díaz, 29, was a non-roster invitee to spring training. He pitched three scoreless innings, struck out two and didn’t allow any hits or walks in two spring outings. The left-hander was on World Baseball Classic champion Venezuela’s roster but did not appear in a game. Díaz made one appearance for the M’s last season, pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
More on the Seattle Mariners
• Three standouts from Seattle Mariners’ Spring Breakout game
• Callis: Seattle Mariners have MLB’s best pitching prospect duo
• Seattle Mariners’ lineup vs Guardians has interesting wrinkle at SS
• Raleigh, Arozarena both help Seattle Mariners in 6-run inning
• Mariners’ Hancock showing new weapon during strong spring
Seattle, WA
Cal, Randy team up in Seattle Mariners’ 6-run inning – Seattle Sports
Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena are officially Seattle Mariners teammates again, and if you need proof, just look at the box score.
Seattle Mariners name Logan Gilbert opening day starter
The two players who were at the center of a controversy last week during the World Baseball Classic both drove in runs as the Mariners put up a six-spot on the Athletics on Thursday night in Cactus League play.
Arozarena came off the bench with runners on second and third with one out in the top of the seventh inning, and he reached on an infield single that gave Seattle its first run of the game, cutting the A’s lead to 3-1.
And Arozarena, who hit his first homer of the spring on Wednesday, wasn’t done. He then stole second, which allowed him to score the second of two runs on a Ryan Bliss single that tied the game.
AL West Preview: Mariners projected to repeat as division champs
A few batters later, after a Brock Rodden single and Luke Raley hit by pitch loaded the bases, it was Big Dumper’s turn, and he delivered with a bases-clearing double off the tall wall in center field at the Athletics’ spring home, Hohokam Stadium in Mesa.
That capped the inning and the scoring for Seattle in a 6-4 victory.
Perhaps it’s a sign that the handshake that never happened when Arozarena stepped to the plate for Mexico with Raleigh catching for the USA is behind the two Mariners All-Stars. As they say, winning cures everything.
More on the Seattle Mariners
• All Mariners back from World Baseball Classic
• Mariners’ Hancock showing new weapon during strong spring
• Former Mariners UT Dylan Moore triggers opt-out clause
• Salk: Difficult to see Emerson making Mariners’ opening day roster
• Seattle Mariners’ Luke Raley showing he’s worth keeping an eye on
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