Schwarber, Vazquez power Red Sox past Mariners 9-4 in 10

SEATTLE (AP) — Kyle Schwarber and Christian Vazquez drove in two runs apiece in the 10th inning, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 9-4 on Wednesday to keep pace in the AL wild-card race.

Designated runner Jack Lopez scored on Tom Murphy’s passed ball to start the scoring in the six-run 10th to break open a 3-3 game. J.D. Martinez, Schwarber and Vazquez added run-scoring hits as Boston beat the Mariners for the second day in a row.

All three games in the series between playoff contenders were decided in the eighth inning or later.

The Red Sox, Toronto and the New York Yankees began the day in a virtual tie for the two AL wild-card spots. Seattle started the day three games behind the trio.

Alex Verdugo singled against Eric Swanson (0-3) to lead off the 10th, moving Lopez to third. Swanson threw a chest-high fastball on his first pitch to Hunter Renfroe, but the ball skipped off the top of Murphy’s glove to the backstop to make it 4-3.

One out later, Martinez made it 5-3 with an RBI single.

Adam Ottavino (7-3) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the Red Sox to finish the eighth and ninth innings, earning his second victory in two days. He struck out two.

The score was tied 3-all after three innings.

Boston’s Bobby Dalbec reached third in the eighth after a walk, a stolen base and Jose Iglesias’ single against reliever Casey Sadler. But Paul Sewald entered with two outs and retired pinch-hitter Verdugo on a popup, preserving Sadler’s AL-leading 19 2/3-inning scoreless streak.

Renfroe homered in the first and Kevin Plawecki and Iglesias drove in a pair of runs in the second for a quick 3-0 lead against Mariners starter Marco Gonzales.

Gonzales retired 12 of 13 batters after the second inning, striking out seven and not allowing a hit over that stretch.

Seattle...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Schwarber-Vazquez-power-Red-Sox-past-Mariners-16462736.php