(Sports Network) – The Detroit Tigers will put the finishing touches on a seven-game road trip today against the Seattle Mariners from Safeco Field.
The Tigers are 3-3 so far on the road swing and look to rebound from Tuesday’s 13-3 drubbing in the second test of a three-game series in the Pacific Northwest. Tigers starter Phil Coke fell to 1-3 on the season and surrendered six runs — two earned — on six hits and four walks in 3 2/3 innings of work. Brad Thomas did no better in relief, allowing five runs and seven hits in only two innings.
“I think this is one that you just turn the page on. It just wasn’t our day,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.
Brennan Boesch had a team-best three hits and Miguel Cabrera finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored for Detroit, which is 5-7 away from the Motor City this season and placed catcher Victor Martinez on the disabled list before the game. Martinez, who was hitting .250 with two homers and nine RBI in 16 games, has been bothered by a strained right groin.
Detroit will begin a six-game homestand Friday versus the White Sox and Mariners at Comerica Park. It will hand the ball to Rick Porcello Wednesday and he’s still searching for his first win of the season. Porcello is 0-2 with a 6.19 earned run average in three starts and did not record a decision the last time out in an 8-4 win at Oakland last Friday.
Porcello pitched well and limited the A’s to one run and seven hits with four strikeouts in six innings. The hard-throwing righty still has an undefeated record against Seattle, going 2-0 with a 3.57 ERA in three career starts.
Seattle has won two of three games and will continue a seven-game homestand Wednesday afternoon. In last night’s pounding of the Tigers, Ichiro Suzuki led a 15-hit attack with a 4-for-5 performance at the plate, three runs scored and two RBI. Chone Figgins had three hits, three RBI and three runs scored for the Mariners, who got three hits from Michael Saunders.
“Those two guys up top, they’re the ones that need to get it going, and that’s what you saw today,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said of Suzuki and Figgins. “You’ve seen both of them start to move in the right direction, and I think today was the culmination of that.”
Chris Gomez and Milton Bradley both drove in a pair of runs in the win. In other team news, the Mariners placed first baseman Justin Smoak on the bereavement list after the death of his father. He is batting .291 with two homers and seven RBI.
The Mariners, who will also host Oakland for four games, will send winless starter Erik Bedard to the hill today and he’s 0-3 with an 8.56 earned run average this season. Bedard hasn’t lasted more than five innings in each of his three starts and previously pitched in Friday’s 6-5 loss in Kansas City.
Bedard gave up five runs — four earned — and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out six batters for a second start in a row. The left-hander will make his fifth career start against Detroit and is 1-2 with a 4.98 ERA through the first four meetings.
Seattle took five of its eight meetings with the Tigers last season, including wins in four of the five matchups in the Emerald City.