Paxton's ERA raised to 8.40 after MLB scoring change

SEATTLE -- An official scoring change by Major League Baseball has added five earned runs to James Paxton's start on Sunday, raising the Mariners left-hander's ERA from 5.40 to 8.40 in one swoop.

Paxton allowed seven runs in the second inning of Sunday's 11-10 victory over the Rangers, but only two of the runs were initially ruled as earned due to an error charged to shortstop Willie Bloomquist on a ground ball by Elvis Andrus.

But the Rangers appealed the scoring on the play to MLB and the league agreed that Andrus should have been awarded a single on the slow roller to Bloomquist, whose throw pulled first baseman Logan Morrison off the bag after he charged in to field the ball behind the mound.

Andrus was the second batter in the inning and Paxton wound up allowing singles to the first four hitters and eight hits overall in the frame before being replaced after 2 2/3 innings.

The scoring change shifted Paxton from nine earned runs in 15 innings to 14 earned runs in his first three starts. His next outing will be Saturday against the Twins at Safeco Field.

Seattle's team ERA also climbed from 4.68 to 5.03 with the change, going into Wednesday's series finale against the Astros.

Major League Baseball often overrules scoring changes when teams appeal decisions. Last year, a late-season scoring change lowered Felix Hernandez's ERA enough so that he won the American League ERA title.

The Paxton change was one of two made by MLB affecting the Mariners on Tuesday. The league also announced a change in Seattle's April 15 game against the Dodgers, crediting Austin Jackson with a base hit and taking away an error from Adrian Gonzalez.

That change raised Jackson's batting average from .250 to .268 and added an earned run to the line of Dodgers pitcher Brett Anderson.