The Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers 8-4 on Tuesday night in Game 3 of the American League Division Series, and there was a play by Eugenio Suarez that won't get talked about much, but it could have ended up being a very big play in the contest. Afterwards, he discussed it.
DETROIT -- The Seattle Mariners are one win away from their first trip to the American League Championship Series in 24 years. Seattle defeated the Detroit Tigers 8-4 on Tuesday night at Comerica Park to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series.
After dropping the first game of the series, the Mariners have now won two straight.
While the Mariners offense, as well as starting pitcher Logan Gilbert, were the main storylines from the victory, there was an excellent defensive play that most people won't even remember, but looms large in the mind of this writer.
The situation
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Mariners led 4-0, and the lead felt comfortable. But things got a little tense when Dillon Dingler was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.
Parker Meadows then bunted him over to second, a surprising play given the score. Eugenio Suarez made a barehanded play to throw Meadows out at first. While it just looks like a sacrifice bunt in the book, it felt like a big defensive play, because Javier Baez immediately singled afterwards.
Had Meadows been safe on the bunt, which was possible if Suarez doesn't make the fantastic play, Detroit could have had first and second with nobody out and the top of the order ready to come up.
As it, was the Tigers ended up scoring one run in that frame, but the play by Suarez helped mitigate the potential for an even bigger inning
Suarez's response
Suarez was asked postgame if he was surprised by the bunt attempt and how he stays ready for each situation defensively:
You never know when they're gonna happen, you've got to be ready. You know, those kind of games are like that. I know I played shallow a little bit because I know at some point they're gonna do that, and he did it right there. And I was ready for that, to make that play, and help Logan (Gilbert) to stay close in the field and make outs. That's the little things that helps the team win games. So it feels good when you make those plays like that. And you see the reaction for our team, it's a big out right there. So I've always got to be ready for things like that. And today I was. I was ready for that bunt right there.
At the plate
Oh yeah, Suarez got his first hit of the series: A massive solo home run in the third inning that went out to left field. That is his 50th home run of the season in total.
The Mariners and Tigers will play again on Wednesday afternoon with first pitch coming at 12:08 p.m. PT. Bryce Miller will pitch against Casey Mize.
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