Haniger, Ramirez lead Mariners past Diamondbacks
PHOENIX (AP) — Edwin Diaz was thrilled to set a Seattle Mariners franchise record with his 49th save. He's really looking forward to the next one, though.
Maybe a little more than manager Scott Servais — who has promised to match Diaz's funky haircut when his All-Star closer reaches No. 50.
"I want to get my 50 to see the haircut," Diaz said after he closed out Seattle's 6-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. "If I do it here on the road I will bring the barber."
Diaz finished off a strong start from Erasmo Ramirez, Mitch Haniger hit his 21st homer and had three hits, and Mike Zunino added a solo shot for the Mariners. Seattle kept pace in the AL West and wild-card races.
Diaz surpassed Fernando Rodney's previous record of 48 in 2014. Haniger, an All-Star who made his major league debut with the Diamondbacks in 2016 before being traded to Seattle, added two singles and scored twice.
"Always want to do well against every team, especially a team that traded you," Haniger said.
Ramirez (1-2) turned in his longest outing of the season, allowing one earned run and six hits with six strikeouts and a walk. Ramirez dropped his ERA from 5.49 to 4.56 and won for the first time in more than a year.
Zack Godley (13-7) allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings.
The Mariners used a pair of doubles, three singles, a sacrifice fly and Dee Gordon's hustle to plate four runs in the third inning. Gordon led off with a double, and with one out, his delayed steal attempt led to Godley's overthrow of third base and allowed Gordon to score.
Former Diamondback Jean Segura singled in a run, Denard Span hit an RBI double and Kyle Seager's sacrifice fly made it 4-0 before Godley escaped the inning.
"If you erase that four-run third, it's a totally different situation," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "Unfortunately we got nicked up and made a mistake on the mound and it cost us."
A.J. Pollock's sacrifice fly in the fifth made it 5-1 before Zunino hit his 18th home run of the season in the sixth off reliever Matt Andriese.
Throwing errors helped the Diamondbacks get closer. Segura's low throw to first allowed Paul Goldschmidt to reach, and Ketel Marte doubled with two outs. Both Goldschmidt and Marte came home when Gordon's attempt to throw out Nick Ahmed at first one-hopped Robinson Cano.
Nick Vincent, Alex Colome and Diaz closed out the Diamondbacks with scoreless innings. Arizona had won six of its previous seven games.
GO-GO GORDON
Gordon tumbled on his head to catch a sinking line drive in shallow right field in the first inning, the first of the speedy second baseman's two big plays. In the third, he tried to steal third base as the catcher was throwing the ball back to the pitcher. Godley, who has struggled throwing to bases this season, tried a slow overhand lob that flew over third baseman Eduardo Escobar's head for an error, and Gordon scored easily.
"You've got to pick them at the right time," Gordon said.
MARINERS MOVES
Pitcher Ross Detwiler and infielder Zach Vincej, designated for assignment earlier in the week, were outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mariners: LHP James Paxton (left forearm contusion) threw a bullpen session before Friday's game and could be ready to return when Seattle plays at Oakland next weekend.
Diamondbacks: RHP Shelby Miller (elbow) threw from 100 feet Tuesday but there is no timetable on when he can pitch in games. ... OF Jarrod Dyson is throwing, hitting and running as he comes back from a groin injury.
UP NEXT
Mariners: Servais said LHP Wade LeBlanc (7-3) will start Saturday against the Diamondbacks, and Sunday's scheduled starter is right-hander Mike Leake (8-7).
Diamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray (3-2) looks to end a streak of six straight no-decisions on Saturday when he faces Seattle. It will be his third career start against the Mariners.
