Cruz's two homers propel Mariners past Tribe

SEATTLE -- Nelson Cruz smashed two home runs and Wade Miley threw seven scoreless innings as the Mariners topped the Indians, 7-1, on Tuesday night at Safeco Field to snap Cleveland's six-game winning streak.
"Miley threw the ball really good and that's what we need," said Cruz. "And I think the offense also woke up. We put all the tools together today."
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Cruz has homered five times in the past six games to give him 15 for the season, while Miley bounced back from a trio of rough starts to hold the Indians to four hits as he improved to 6-2 with a 5.27 ERA. The Mariners ended a four-game skid and stayed four games back of Texas in the American League West at 32-26.
"He kept us off balance," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said of Miley. "He added and subtracted and he pitched a really good game. He works quick, he threw strikes, and for the most part he kept us off the barrel and when he didn't, he kept it in the big part of the ballpark."
Indians right-hander Cody Anderson, starting in place of Danny Salazar, gave up seven hits and six runs in 3 2/3 innings to see his record fall to 1-4 with a 7.48 ERA. Cleveland (32-25) maintained its 2 1/2-game lead on Kansas City in the AL Central, but missed a chance to record its longest win streak since 2013.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Cruz warming in June: The Mariners right fielder racked up his first multi-homer game of the season with a two-run bomb off Anderson in the first and an even-longer solo shot in the fifth off Jeff Manship. Anderson tested Cruz with back-to-back 95-mph fastballs and Cruz unloaded on the second one, driving it into 'The 'Pen' area in center field at Safeco, a shot projected by Statcast™ at 410 feet with an exit velocity of 110 mph. His second bolt measured 446 feet and 112 mph. Cruz's 15 homers and 43 RBIs are second on the team to Robinson Cano's 16 and 48.
"It just comes and goes. It's part of baseball, I guess," Cruz said of his hot streak. "Since the last homestand, it feels like I'm seeing the ball better. It feels good. It feels like I'm there."

Making 'em pay: The Indians opened the door for Seattle with a defensive miscue in the fourth when shortstop Francisco Lindor fielded a two-out grounder up the middle by Adam Lind, but double-pumped when second baseman Jason Kipnis couldn't get over in time from the shift to take the force throw at second. Lindor then threw too late to first to get Lind, which loaded the bases. And the Mariners took advantage when Steve Clevenger followed with a two-run double and Shawn O'Malley laced a two-run triple to break the game open at 6-0.
"It was a big, big play in the game," said Mariners manager Scott Servais. "But there were a lot of big at-bats in that inning. I think he was probably looking to flip the ball to second, then had to go to first base. But we ran the ball out hard, otherwise he would have been out. So credit Adam Lind for keeping his head up and running hard down the line. Little plays like that in a big league game can certainly change it one way or the other and we were on the right side of it tonight."

Gomes exits game: Indians catcher Yan Gomes was hit in the inner thigh area with a Dae-Ho Lee foul tip in the second inning and left the game with a testicular contusion. Gomes was in obvious discomfort for several minutes and was attended to by a team trainer before being replaced behind the plate and in the lineup by Chris Gimenez. More >

Chisenhall prevents shutout: Indians right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall provided Cleveland with its only run by homering into the right-field bleachers off Mariners reliever Joaquin Benoit in the top of the eighth inning. It was Chisenhall's second home run of the season, and Statcast™ projected it at 395 feet with an exit velocity of 102 mph.

QUOTABLE
"When he rolls, it's a special bat, no doubt." -- Servais on Cruz
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
The Indians successfully challenged a call in the top of the first inning. Mariners left fielder Seth Smith lined a ball off the top of the right field wall and tried to stretch it into a double, and when Chisenhall threw to shortstop Lindor, second-base umpire John Hirschbeck called Smith safe. The Indians challenged the call and it was overturned.

WHAT'S NEXT
Indians: Right-hander Carlos Carrasco (2-0, 3.00 ERA) will make his second start since returning from the disabled list. He was on the DL from April 25-June 2 with a left hamstring strain. Carrasco's last win actually came against the Mariners on April 19, when he gave up one run on four hits in 6 ⅓ innings .
Mariners:Taijuan Walker (2-6, 3.94 ERA) starts Wednesday's 7:10 p.m. PT game against the Indians, looking to snap a six-game losing streak. The 23-year-old righty is 3-0 with a 1.45 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 20 innings in three starts against Cleveland, including a win earlier this season when he went six innings with no earned runs.
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