TJ Cotterill
The News Tribune
Ryon Healy watched as the ball soared into the high-altitude marine layer. He trotted out of the batter’s box, watched the ball land into the upper deck past left field and pointed at the Seattle Mariners dugout behind him as he turned into his home-run trot.
Just another Mariners comeback victory.
Healy’s known for streaky stretches in his young career after playing his first full major-league season last year with the Oakland Athletics. This was the kind of streak the Mariners much enjoy.
The first baseman tied a career-high with five RBI, including that go-ahead three-run home run in the sixth inning and the Mariners’ bullpen shut the Colorado Rockies down after that in a 6-4 win to stave off a potential three-game sweep.
The Mariners (57-34) end their homestand on a high note after entering with three losses in their previous four games. After sweeping the Royals and taking the Angels’ series, they head for a six-game road trip with wins in l0 of their past 13 games.
Edwin Diaz capped what he, rightfully so, should expect would be an announcement he’d be playing in his first All-Star game, finished off the ninth inning for his MLB-leading 35th save of the season.
Diaz needs three more to tie former Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez for most saves prior to the All-Star break. The full All-Star selections will be announced later Sunday on ESPN.
Let’s restart.
And start with Wade LeBlanc.
Another first-inning home run. Again courtesy of maybe one of the most hairy-faced men in America. Charlie Blackmon hit a solo home run off of LeBlanc just like he did two days earlier against Felix Hernandez in the top of the first inning.
The Mariners struggled this series driving in runs from scoring position. Sure, they’ve had the hits to get batters on bases, but were absent those that would bring them to the plate, outside of a pair of solo home runs over the previous two days.
Then they loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning with one out. Kyle Seager scored Dee Gordon with a sacrifice fly and Ryon Healy smoked a line drive up the middle for a two-run double for a 3-1 Mariners lead.
Just not much after that.
Not even when Denard Span led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple to right-center field, his first triple with the Mariners. It should be noted that Span’s batting average since a late-May trade from the Rays was up to .314 (33-for-105) with the Mariners.
But what a waste. Healy had a hard groundout to shortstop, and Span had to stay, Guillermo Heredia grounded out to second with the infield drawn in and David Freitas flew out to center field.
Happened again in the seventh. Dee Gordon doubled and raced to third when Rockies left-fielder Gerardo Parra’s panic throw to second sailed wide of the base.
But Jean Segura hit an infield pop up, Mitch Haniger struck out, Nelson Cruz was intentionally walked and Seager struck out after umpire Joe West called two consecutive balls outside the zone for strikes, causing Seager to slam his bat to the ground in disgust.
That almost cost the Mariners.
The Rockies pulled to within a run in the top of the fifth inning on Carlos Gonzales’ solo home run before Story got a two-run shot off LeBlanc to carry just enough over the right-field wall for a 4-3 Rockies lead in the sixth.
Time for a Healy homer.
Servais noted before the game, as he’s referenced multiple times, how Healy is still streaky at this point in the three-year pro’s young career. But it’s clear there’s potential to to be much more than a power hitter, especially because Healy prepares himself for games as well as any player the Mariners have.
And on Sunday, Healy streaked in the direction the Mariners prefer.
After that two-run double earlier, Healy took a slider in the sixth inning and didn’t take the one he saw one pitch later, launching it into the third deck over left field for a go-ahead three-run homer to give Seattle a 6-4 lead.
Zunino timetable
Zunino’s been limping with a walking boot on his left ankle after suffering a bone bruise while rounding second base in Wednesday’s loss to the Angels.
Servais said they expected his recovery to take between 2-3 weeks after putting Zunino on the 10-day disabled list (which just means he can be activated after 10 days, but can stay on the DL longer).
But Servais said on Sunday that Zunino has seemed to be recovering faster than they thought and he thinks Zunino will be ready well before the three weeks, but still likely not until after the All-Star break.
Zunino will stay in Seattle while the team travels to Los Angeles and Colorado this week.
On tap
The Mariners have Monday off before beginning a three-game road series against the Angels on Tuesday.
Right-hander Mike Leake (8-5, 4.11 ERA) will start for the Mariners against right-hander Garrett Richards in the 7:07 p.m. Tuesday game, which will broadcast on Root Sports.
