Mariners stun Yankees, Clay Holmes with 4-run 9th inning capped by Ty France RBI single
NEW YORK — Ty France hit a go-ahead RBI single in Seattle's four-run ninth inning against reliever Clay Holmes, and the Mariners rallied to beat the New York Yankees 5-4 on Monday night.
The Mariners ended New York's seven-game winning streak with the big inning against Holmes (1-1), who blew his second save in 15 chances.
"We've had a of lot crazy wins here, over the last seven, eight years that I've been here, but I don't know of anything wilder than that one," Seattle manager Scott Servais said. "Tremendous effort by our guys just hanging in there."
Luke Raley, who had two of Seattle's three hits off starter Marcus Stroman, hit an infield single to Gleyber Torres and Julio Rodríguez scored on the second baseman's error. Mitch Haniger followed with an RBI single and Dominic Canzone lifted a tying sacrifice fly to the warning track in right.
"I just think we never give in," Raley said. "Obviously Holmes has been throwing the ball really well and we're able to kind of dink and dunk them for a couple of runs. So always good wins to be able to do that."
France followed by grounding a 2-0 sinker to right field for a 5-4 lead to give Seattle its second late comeback win on a 10-game trip two days after rallying in the eighth to beat Baltimore.
"Two good ball teams and obviously we see kind of where we stand and we can go out and beat these guys and just good confidence," Raley said. "Coming in here it's a tough place to play and just being able to walk away with the opening game of a series is great."
Eduardo Bazardo (1-0) allowed an RBI single to Jon Berti in the bottom of the eighth that pushed New York's lead to 4-1 before the comeback gave Seattle its second win in 23 games when trailing through eight.
Andrés Muñoz got the last three outs, stranding Juan Soto at first for his ninth save. Muñoz fanned Aaron Judge on a 100.8 mph fastball and finished it by retiring Alex Verdugo.
Verdugo drove in the first three runs for the Yankees, who were 28-0 when leading after eight. Verdugo hit a two-run single four batters in and added an RBI single in the fifth off Seattle starter Logan Gilbert.
Stroman allowed a run in 7 1/3 innings before Holmes was scored upon for the first time in 21 appearances this season. Holmes also had a 15 2/3 scoreless streak stopped and his season-opening streak of 20 straight appearances without allowing a run was the second-longest in team history behind Dellin Betances' 26 straight outings to start 2015.
"It was one of those outings where I feel like my stuff was there," Holmes said. "Maybe trying to go for a little too much chase with a couple of guys there. Some balls found some holes and it didn't go our way there."
It was the third time since joining the Yankees in a trade from the Pirates in July 2021 that Holmes allowed four runs.
"It just didn't really bounce our way that inning," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Gilbert allowed three runs and eight hits in six innings.
Trainer's room
Mariners: INF J.P. Crawford was activated off the IL after missing 23 games with a strained right oblique and struck out as a pinch hitter in the eighth . ... INF Jorge Polanco (hamstring tightness) missed his sixth straight game. ... INF/OF Sam Haggerty suffered a torn Achilles tendon in a collision with the center field fence during a game with Triple-A Tacoma over the weekend. Haggerty appeared in eight games and was optioned to the minors last week. ... INF Leo Rivas was optioned to Tacoma to make room for Crawford.
Yankees: RHP Gerrit Cole (right elbow nerve inflammation and edema) will face hitters for the first time on Tuesday since getting injured in mid-March. On Saturday, Cole threw his first bullpen session in which he sat down in the middle for a break simulating an inning. "I think bouncing back from the two-up bullpen with some guys standing in on him and I know feeling good yesterday coming in," Boone said. "So yeah, we just want to continue to progress and continue to stack good days and that's another step along the way of getting out there on the bump and facing hitters." ... RHP Ian Hamilton was placed on the 7-day COVID-19 injured list after feeling ill before Sunday's game and getting sent home. ... RHP Clayton Andrews had his contract selected from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre and RHP Colby White was designated for assignment.
Up next
Seattle RHP Bryan Woo (1-0, 0.93 ERA) opposes New York RHP Clarke Schmidt (5-1, 2.49) on Tuesday.
