Porcello, Red Sox Beat Seattle
BOSTON -- The Seattle Mariners put at least the first two runners on base in each of the first three innings against Boston right-hander Rick Porcello but could only scratch out two runs and that ineffectiveness came back to haunt them as the Red Sox waited out Mariners starter Adrian Sampson and scored four runs in the fourth and fifth innings on the way to a 6-2 win Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park.
Seattle's Leonys Martin, Seth Smith and Robinson Cano opened the game with consecutive singles before Nelson Cruz grounded into a run-scoring double play in the first inning. Adam Lind led off the second with his ninth home run of the season.
But that was all the damage the Mariners could do as Red Sox right-hander Rick Porcello settled into a groove.
At one point, Porcello retired eight straight batters before Smith, who went 3-for-3, reached on a two-out bunt in the fifth. Porcello then retired the next four batters before giving way to Junichi Tazawa for the seventh.
Porcello went six innings, giving up two runs and eight hits with no walks, six strikeouts and a home run. He improved to 8-2 with a 3.76 ERA.
Sampson (0-1), making his major league debut, had retired eight straight batters before Jackie Bradley Jr.'s two-out solo home run in the fourth, his 12th homer of the season, got Boston on the scoreboard.
In the fifth, No. 8 hitter Chris Young, Christian Vazquez and Mookie Betts opened with consecutive singles to produce one run. After Dustin Pedroia grounded into a run-scoring double play, Xander Bogaerts launched his ninth home run of the season, giving Boston a 4-2 lead and ending Sampson's outing with left-hander Mike Montgomery replacing him.
The Red Sox got a run off Montgomery in the fifth when Vazquez's two-out double scored Hanley Ramirez.
Boston added one run in the eight when Ramirez led off with a double. On Bradley's lineout, Cano attempted to double off Ramirez at second, but shortstop Ketel Marte missed the throw, allowing Ramirez to score.
Every batter in the Red Sox lineup had at least one hit except for Pedroia, who went 0-4, grounding into two double plays.
Craig Kimbrel threw a perfect ninth for his 16th save of the season.
NOTES: Each team made several roster moves. The Red Sox called up INF Deven Marrero and OF Ryan LaMarre. OF Rusney Castillo and LHP Roenis Elias were optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket after Friday's game. ... The Mariners called up LHP Adrian Sampson, who started the game and made his major league debut. LHP David Rollins was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma after Friday's game. ... RHP Taijuan Walker is expected to start the series finale for Seattle on Sunday. Walker left his Tuesday start at Tampa Bay because of a foot injury after only 3 2/3 innings. ... Red Sox C Ryan Hanigan, who has been on the disabled list since June 5 because of a neck strain, continues to work his way back. He has been taking batting practice and caught a bullpen session on Saturday. He is expected to throw to bases on Monday.