Ruiz returns as Mariners rally past Phillies 10-9 (May 09, 2017)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Carlos Ruiz watched the video tribute, tipped his cap in thanks and earned a standing ovation from an appreciative Philadelphia crowd.
Just like he did all those years when the Phillies were the toast of the National League, Ruiz walked away a winner.
Taylor Motter had the go-ahead double in the ninth inning, Ben Gamel had four hits and the Seattle Mariners overcame two four-run deficits to beat the Phillies 10-9 on Tuesday night in Ruiz's return to Philadelphia.
Gamel went 4 for 5 with a three-run home run, two singles, a double and scored three runs. The right fielder threw out the potential go-ahead run at home in the eighth.
Robinson Cano, who left the game with a quadriceps injury and is day to day, also homered for the Mariners.
Ruiz, among the key players in Philadelphia's run to consecutive World Series appearances in 2008-09, got a big ovation when he pinch hit in the eighth and flied out. Ruiz, a Phillies All-Star, was traded last season to the Los Angeles Dodgers and signed with Seattle during the offseason.
Ruiz was signed by the Phillies as a 16-year-old in 1998 and spent 18 years in the organization. He hit .266 with a .352 on-base percentage in 1,069 games with the Phillies. Ruiz dined with some of his former teammates at his New Jersey home on Monday night.
''I definitely would like to come back to this organization. I don't know when,'' Ruiz said. ''I know before I left they came to me and told me the door is open for me any time I want to come to Philly and work with this organization. That's big. That is something I think about right now. This year I want to finish strong and we'll see what happens when I'm not playing baseball.''
Ruiz earned a lengthy video tribute in the third inning, stepped out of the dugout during the video tribute in the third inning and tipped his cap toward fans yelling ''Chooooch!'' Ruiz was batting .115 with no homers and just one RBI. He said he did not enjoy a backup role.
Ruiz caught strike three from Brad Lidge for the final out to win the 2008 World Series. He has photos from their embrace at his house and on the walls of his mother's home. Ruiz said he loved to watch the replay of the final out.
''I think I'm going to do that the rest of my life because it was so special,'' he said.
Phillies fans booed catcher Tuffy Gosewisch during his at-bats.
Michael Saunders, Tommy Joseph and Aaron Altherr also homered for the Phillies, who led 4-0 in the third, fell behind 5-4, then led 9-5 in the sixth
The teams combined for 27 hits and four errors in a game that spanned 3 hours, 48 minutes.
''I wouldn't want to do it every night that way,'' Mariners manager Scott Servais said.
Nick Vincent (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning, and Edwin Diaz worked the ninth for his seventh save. Hector Neris (1-2) was the loser.
Jean Segura, who scored three runs, hit a one-out single off Neris in the ninth and scored on Motter's double for a win in the road trip opener.
''I don't think the situation gets too big for Taylor,'' Servais said.
The Phillies ran themselves out of a potential go-ahead rally in the eighth. With a runner on, Altherr doubled off the wall and Odubel Herrera was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Maikel Franco hit a shallow fly to right off Vincent and Gamel threw out Daniel Nava at the plate for the stunning double play.
''I had some time to get behind it and just collect myself,'' he said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mariners: DH Nelson Cruz, batting. 319 with seven homers and 28 RBIs has a sore hamstring and did not play the field.
Phillies: RHP Aaron Nola will make a rehab start Thursday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Nola (2-0, 4.50 ERA) is on a 60-pitch limit. ... RHP Jeanmar Gomez, who lost his closer's role last week, was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right elbow impingement. INF/OF Ty Kelly was recalled to take Gomez' spot on the 25-man roster.
TRADE
The Mariners traded minor league RHP Casey Fien to the Phillies for cash.
UP NEXT
Mariners: RHP Yovani Gallardo (1-3, 4.46) gets the start in finale of the two-game series.
Phillies: RHP Zach Eflin (0-2, 2.42) goes for his first win this season. The Phillies are off Thursday and will hold their annual charity festival at Citizens Bank Park.
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Dan Gelston
The Associated Press
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