Kerry Carpenter, Akil Baddoo and Nick Maton hit home runs and Eduardo Rodriguez pitched five solid innings as the Detroit Tigers defeated the host Seattle Mariners 5-4 Friday night.
Rodriguez (5-5), who will be making his second start after five weeks on the injured list with a left index finger injury, earned his first win since May 10. He allowed two runs on three hits, with two walks and seven strikeouts.
Tigers closer Alex Lange ran into some trouble in the ninth before earning his 14th save. Mariners pinch hitter Mike Ford homered with one out, and Dylan Moore and J.P. Crawford drew two-out walks. That brought up All-Star Julio Rodriguez, who took a called third strike to end the game.
Carpenter hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Baddoo added a solo shot in the fifth, both off Mariners starter Luis Castillo (6-7). Maton hit a two-run blast in the seventh off reliever Ty Adcock.
Trailing 5-2 in the eighth, Julio Rodriguez reached on an infield single and scored on Jarred Kelenic's one-out double. Tigers reliever Jason Foley struck out Teoscar Hernandez and Eugenio Suarez to end the threat.
Leading 3-0, Eduardo Rodriguez ran into trouble in the fifth, walking Suarez and hitting Tom Murphy with a pitch before AJ Pollock lined a single to left to load the bases with no outs. The pitcher got Jose Caballero to pop out before Moore, the No. 9 hitter in Seattle's lineup, lined a two-run double.
Second baseman Maton made a diving stop on a Crawford grounder to prevent the tying run from scoring, before Ty France fanned on a called third strike to end the inning. France argued the call with home-plate umpire Marvin Hudson and was ejected.
Tigers center fielder Matt Vierling made a leaping catch at the wall on a ball hit by Julio Rodriguez in the first inning, robbing the Home Run Derby contestant of a homer.
Castillo (6-7), who didn't pitch in Tuesday's All-Star Game despite being on the American League's roster, allowed three runs on four hits in five innings. The right-hander didn't walk a batter and struck out five.
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