Erasmo Ramirez put a poor outing behind him and returned to his recent form.
Ramirez on Monday allowed one run in 5-1/3 innings and the Seattle Mariners’ bullpen shut down the Baltimore Orioles the rest of the way in a 2-1 victory.
Ramirez (2-3) allowed two hits, struck out five and walked none.
Photo: AP
The right-hander is 2-1 in five starts since coming off the disabled list on Aug. 12, but he last week gave up seven runs on nine hits in three innings against the Padres.
“The only difference tonight is I was throwing better strikes and quality strikes,” Ramirez said. “I attacked the hitters and tried to execute every pitch. I had control of my slider at any point of the count.”
That start in San Diego was the only time since Ramirez returned to the rotation that he has allowed more than three runs.
“That’s what he’s capable of doing, but it has to be on the edges and not the middle of the plate,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “I thought Erasmo threw the ball really well.”
Edwin Diaz struck out the side in the ninth for his 52nd save and 26th one-run save, both of which lead the majors. Zach Duke, Nick Vincent and Alex Colome combined to pitch 2-2/3 scoreless innings before Diaz finished off the three-hitter.
Ryon Healy had an RBI single and Dee Gordon added a sacrifice fly, both off Josh Rogers (1-1), who allowed four hits and two walks in 5-1/3 innings.
The Mariners were coming off a four-game split at Oakland that dealt a setback to their playoff hopes. The Orioles, who have the majors’ worst record, have lost four straight, scoring two runs or fewer in three of those games.
“It’s kind of struggling,” manager Buck Showalter said of the Orioles’ offense. “We face a guy tonight that’s had his issues and we just aren’t swinging the bats very well.”
Jonathan Villar homered off the right-field foul pole in the fourth for Baltimore. Healy tied it in the bottom of the inning with a single to center after Rogers walked Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz.
Gordon’s go-ahead sacrifice fly followed Cameron Maybin’s leadoff triple to the wall in right-center in the fifth. Maybin had two hits after Servais told him before the game to “let it rip.”
“He talked to me about being more aggressive,” Maybin said. “That’s what I did and I’ll continue to work on it. It’s going to take everybody right now down the stretch. Everybody has to bring the energy and have fun and see where the chips fall.”
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