The Mariners were unable to come out of the trade deadline strong and dropped the first of a three-game series to the Tigers.
SEATTLE — A re-tooled lineup and new additions to the roster didn't lead to immediate success for the Seattle Mariners, who fell 8-0 to the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday at T-Mobile Park.
It was the Mariners' first game post-MLB trade deadline, which saw the team introduce outfielder/designated hitter Taylor Ward and right-handed reliever Seranthony Dominguez to the roster.
Both players made their Seattle debuts, with Ward being in the lineup as the DH batting eighth and Dominguez took the mound in the top of the ninth inning. Tuesday also saw the return of Brendan Donovan, who batted seventh in the order and played third after a two-and-a-half month-long stint on the injured list
Ward finished the game 0-for-3 with a strikeout and Dominguez surrendered four hits, four earned runs, two home runs and walked two batters in 0.1 inning of work. Donovan went 0-for-4.
"(Dominguez) just found a lot of plate and they were able to get on it pretty good and hit the ball hard," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview Tuesday. "It's the first outing with a new team. It's a tough one, it's difficult that way. There's plenty more ahead with him. He'll be just fine. Got his feet wet tonight, got his feet on the ground and now we can work with him a little bit and get him comfortable and I think the next time out will be much better."
The two homers surrendered by Dominguez in the ninth, a two-run shot hit by Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres and a solo-shot hit by catcher Dillon Dingler, resulted in the eventual final of 8-0. Detroit entered the ninth with a 4-0 lead. The visitors' other run in that frame came via an RBI groundout hit by third baseman Kevin McGonigle.
The Tigers took the lead earlier in the game with a multi-run inning of their own.
In the top of the third, with two outs and a runner on first, Seattle starting pitcher Emerson Hancock surrendered back-to-back singles to Dingler and left fielder Riley Greene. The latter of the two base-hits resulted in a throwing error committed by Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson, which resulted in Torres scoring and giving Detroit a 1-0 lead.
Emerson made a run-scoring play earlier in the inning when he made a throw catcher Cal Raleigh at home, who applied a tag to Tigers right fielder Zach McKinstry.
"(Emerson) made an outstanding play on the contact play there to get the out at home," Wilson said. "That kind of had to be a perfect throw at the plate and he was able to deliver that. Got us into a really good position there. We've seen him make that play (that was an error) so many times. It just wasn't one tonight that he made. He will continue to work at it."
Tigers designated hitter Colt Keith hit a two-RBI single after Greene's single to bolster Detroit's lead to 3-0.
The Tigers upped their advantage to 4-0 in the top of the fifth inning after Greene hit a solo homer to center field.
Hancock finished his outing with six strikeouts, two walks, and four runs allowed (three earned) on eight hits (one homer) in six innings pitched.
"I thought the arsenal, in terms of all the pitches was pretty good," Hancock said after the game Tuesday. "I didn't feel like there was one we were struggling with. I felt like we were able to go to different ones in different spots of the game. Made some mistakes, missed some pitches over the middle. ... Overall, felt like I executed fine. Just didn't get the results I wanted."
Seattle's offense managed little traffic against Detroit starting pitcher Troy Melton.
Melton fanned four, walked two and allowed just three hits in seven innings of work. The Mariners finished the game 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left seven on-base.
The M's fell to 55-59 with the loss and fell to 3.5 games out of first place in the American League West.
Seattle will attempt to even the series and set up another rubber match in game two of the set at 6:40 p.m. PT on Wednesday at T-Mobile Park. Bryan Woo will start for the Mariners and Drew Anderson will start for the Tigers.
