By Alexa Philippou
The Seattle Times
SEATTLE — Mariners manager Scott Servais benched Ryon Healy for Saturday’s game against the White Sox, hoping a day to reset might help him get out of his hitting slump.
Back at the plate on Sunday, Healy showed no signs of sluggishness, blasting two three-run homers that accounted for all but two of the Mariners’ runs, leading them to an 8-2 victory on Sunday that delivered the club’s first series win since July 5.
After going 0 for 3 on Friday, Healy finished 3 for 4 on Sunday, including a career-high six RBIs via his pair of dingers.
Healy’s second homer didn’t come until the ninth. For much of the game, the first baseman’s resurgence appeared to be a footnote.
With the help of some heads-up defensive plays from Jean Segura and Dee Gordon, Marco Gonzales held the White Sox hitless through 5 2/3 innings, eventually completing 6 1/3, allowing two runs on four hits.
A two-out infield single from Adam Engel gave the White Sox their first knock of the day, and Tim Anderson’s two-run home run on the next at-bat erased the shutout. Before Engel’s hit, Gonzales had only walked a single batter, and the other baserunner for the White Sox reached on a fielding error.
Although he allowed two more singles before ultimately exiting the game, Gonzales’ performance marked a continuation of what he brought to the mound in his three starts before the All-Star break. Gonzales has allowed four total runs over his last four starts, lowering his season ERA to 3.38. He’s lasted at least six innings in each.
The Mariners got out to an early lead when Reynaldo Lopez walked Kyle Seager with the bases loaded, and Denard Span followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Mitch Hanger. Healy then made it a 5-0 game with his first three-run home run, a shot to left field.
The club will have a day off on Monday before hosting the San Francisco Giants for a two-game series starting on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m.
Seattle Mariners’ Dee Gordon scores on a sacrifice fly by Nelson Cruz in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox on Friday, July 20, 2018 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Wash. (Dean Rutz/Seattle Times/TNS)
