Nelson Cruz greeted reliever Jacob Turner with a go-ahead, three-run homer in the sixth inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 Thursday to stop a five-game losing streak.
Gio Gonzalez took a 2-0 lead into the sixth, when Jean Segura singled leading off and Guillermo Heredia took a called third strike. That prompted Seattle manager Scott Servais to complain from the dugout, which led to his ejection by plate umpire Adam Hamari.
Robinson Cano singled, and Washington manager Dusty Baker brought in Turner (2-3), despite Cruz having just one hit in 15 at-bats against Gonzalez. Cruz drove a belt-high slider over the fence in left-center for his 12th homer this season and a 3-2 lead. Cruz leads the AL with 40 RBIs.
Cano added an RBI single off Turner in the seventh. Seattle scored multiple runs for the first time since May 18.
Ariel Miranda (4-2) allowed two runs, three hits and three walks in five innings. Edwin Diaz, Seattle’s sixth pitcher, threw a one-hit ninth that completed a six-hitter. Diaz got his first save since May 9 and has eight in 10 chances overall.
Gonzalez gave up two runs, three hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings, striking out eight.
Washington’s Anthony Rendon homered in the fifth, his ninth this season and fourth in the three-game series. Jayson Werth added an RBI single later in the inning.
Baker will be leaving the Nationals for their weekend series against San Diego Padres to attend his son Darren’s high school graduation in Northern California and will rejoin the team Monday in San Francisco.
Mariners lefty James Paxton (forearm strain) could return to the rotation in the first or second game of a homestand that starts Wednesday, Servais said. First baseman Danny Valencia was in the lineup for a second straight day after sitting out three games with a wrist injury.
Baker may continue to use an eight-man bullpen. Baker said the decision depends the progress of infielder Stephen Drew’s rehabilitation from a hamstring strain. Drew is at extended spring training.
Nationals righty Max Scherzer (4-3, 3.02) has allowed two runs or fewer in his last three starts against San Diego, which opens a three-game series in Washington on Friday.
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