Gutierrez Hits 2 HRs, Mariners Beat Red Sox 8-4
BOSTON -- Seattle outfielder Franklin Gutierrez made sure the Seattle Mariners won the battle of the two best offenses in the American League on Friday.
Gutierrez went 3-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs to lead the Mariners to their second straight victory, 8-4 over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
The Sox (37-29) started the night leading the AL in runs scored with the Mariners (36-31) second.
Gutierrez's last multi-home run game was Aug. 16, 2015, also at Fenway. He now has three multi-homer games in his career.
Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano was 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. His home run was the 247th of his career as a second baseman to set a new AL record.
Mariners starter Hisashi Iwakuma (6-5) did his part to make sure Gutierrez's offensive outburst didn't go to waste. Iwakuma earned the win by going seven innings and allowing four runs on nine hits.
Former Mariners pitcher Roenis Elias (0-1) was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket to make his first major league start of the season and face his old team for the first time. He allowed two runs on the first three pitches of the game and lasted just four innings. The Mariners scored seven runs on seven hits against Elias.
Designated David Ortiz led Boston's offense with a two-run home run, which was the 521st of his career. He tied Ted Williams, Willie McCovey and Frank Thomas for 19th all-time. Catcher Sandy Leon went 3-for-4.
The Mariners extended to an 8-2 lead when Cano led off the top of the seventh with a home run to left-center field. In the bottom of the seventh, Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia delivered a sacrifice fly each to trim the lead to 8-4.
The Red Sox had two on and one out in the bottom of the ninth but Mariners closer Steve Cishek got the last two outs without allowing a run.
It took the Mariners just three pitches to get a 2-0 lead on Elias. Ketel Marte singled off the Green Monster on the first pitch of the game. Franklin Gutierrez followed by hitting a 1-0 changeup into the center-field bleachers for his sixth home run of the season and a 2-0 lead.
Gutierrez punished Elias again leading off the third inning. The outfielder hit a first-pitch fastball over the Monster Seats in left field to give the Mariners a 3-0 lead.
Elias had another chance to solve Gutierrez, but the outfielder struck again with the bases loaded in the top of the fourth. Gutierrez crushed a pitch off the right field wall to plate three runs and put Seattle up 6-0. Cano's RBI single extended the lead to 7-0 before the inning ended on an overruled call at second base that resulted in Cano being out trying to stretch his hit to a double.
Ortiz got the Red Sox on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run home run that cut the Seattle lead to 7-2.
NOTES: The Red Sox are concerned LHP Eduardo Rodriguez may be tipping his pitches again. Since coming off the disabled list this season, Rodriguez is 1-2 with a 6.97 ERA in four starts -- including a 5-1 loss to Baltimore on Thursday. Rodriguez allowed five earned runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings against the Orioles. ... Boston INF Josh Rutledge was placed on the 15-day DL with left knee patellar tendinitis. That move opened up a roster spot for LHP Roenis Elias to be recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket. ... Red Sox OF Brock Holt, who has been out since May 19 with a concussion, will be re-evaluated Sunday by Dr. Mickey Collins, according to Farrell. ... The Mariners placed LHP Wade Miley on the 15-day disabled list with a left shoulder impingement retroactive to June 13. Miley is 6-3 with a 5.28 ERA in 13 starts this season. Miley and manager Scott Servais were both confident Miley, who was scheduled to start Saturday, will be ready to get back on the mound when his time on the DL expires on June 28. In a related move, the Mariners designated RHP Steve Johnson for assignment. The Mariners recalled RHP Jonathan Aro and LHP David Rollins from Triple-A Tacoma.
