Game: Florida Marlins @ Seattlle Mariners
Venue: Safeco Field
Start Time: 10:10 P.M. Eastern Time
Attendance: 21,609
Length of Game: 2:42
Starting Pitchers: Andrew Miller ( Marlins) vs Carlos Silva ( Mariners)
The postgame rants, closed-door team meetings and minor roster shake-ups failed to work, so the Seattle Mariners tried a different route Monday: a major front office overhaul.
Try again.
Even the dramatic firing of their general manager couldn't keep the Mariners from sinking even deeper.
Andrew Miller pitched seven strong innings, holding the worst team in baseball to one run and six hits, and the Florida Marlins added to Seattle's misery with a 6-1 victory Monday night.
Only hours after Seattle fired Bill Bavasi, in his fifth season as general manager, the punchless Mariners went out and lost their eighth straight at home, their longest home losing streak in nearly 12 years. They are 22 games under .500 (24-46).
This time it was Miller, the Marlins' young left-hander, stymieing the Mariners. He matched his career high by finishing the seventh, and while not overpowering, Miller was never hit hard.
Miller (5-5) struck out two and retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced, giving up singles to Ichiro Suzuki leading off the fifth and Willie Bloomquist starting the seventh. Miller won for the first time in his past five starts, and followed up on the strong performance Sunday when Ricky Nolasco shut down Tampa Bay as the Marlins salvaged one of three against their in-state rivals.
Seattle starter Carlos Silva (3-8) gave up two runs in the first, then left with two outs in the fifth inning, but not on his own accord. Silva was ejected by first base umpire Bill Welke when he became a little too demonstrative arguing a call at first.
With one out and runners on first and third, Hermida grounded into a possible inning-ending double play. But Hermida was called safe at first by Welke, drawing an animated reaction from Silva.
The burly pitcher twice threw his arms in the air and yelled at Welke, who motioned for the right-hander to return to the mound. When he didn't and continued yelling, Welke ejected Silva.
Replays appeared to show Hermida was out on a close play. Matt Treanor scored on the play to give Florida a 3-1 lead.
The Marlins added a run in the sixth on Cody Ross' sacrifice fly and then scored two in the seventh on back-to-back RBI singles by Uggla and Gonzalez off reliever Roy Corcoran.
Seattle was held to three runs or fewer for the eighth time in its past nine games, and twice left runners at third, continuing the problems of converting with runners in scoring position.
With the bases loaded and no outs in the fourth, Adrian Beltre scored on Kenji Johjima's sacrifice fly. But back-to-back hard lineouts to right by Bloomquist and Yuniesky Betancourt left Raul Ibanez stranded at third.
In the fifth, Suzuki was at third with one out, but Jose Vidro and Beltre left him there.
Up Next: In game 2, the Marlins will send Scott Olsen to the mound to face Felix Hernandez. Game time is set for 10:10 P.M. Eastern Time. It is a radio only game.
