CLEVELAND — César Hernández scored on a throwing error by pitcher Paul Sewald in the 10th inning, completing the Cleveland Indians’ rally for a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday.
After scoring three times with two outs in the ninth to make it 4-all, Cleveland loaded the bases with no outs in the 10th.
Harold Ramírez hit a comebacker to Sewald (2-2), who threw high and wide of the plate. Catcher Tom Murphy jumped to grab the errant throw, but automatic runner Hernández slid home with the game-winning run.
“There is no way to put a good vibe on the end of that ballgame,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Sewald made a great pitch to tie Ramírez up, but you’ve got to make the plays and execute late.”
“That’s as sour a taste as you can get in your mouth when you give away a game like that,” he said.
The Indians trailed 4-0 after seven, but got on the board in the eighth when Hernández homered off Kendall Graveman. Seattle lefty Yusei Kikuchi had limited them to three singles over the first seven frames.
Cleveland forced extra innings with three runs in the ninth against closer Rafael Montero, who retired the first two batters. Pinch-hitter Bobby Bradley had an RBI single to make it 4-2 and René Rivera followed with a two-run double off the wall in left.
“In that moment, I just want to make contact,” said Rivera, who saluted the crowd upon reaching second base. “I didn’t know where it was going to land. Honestly, I just hit the ball and started running.”
The Indians’ eighth pitcher of the afternoon, James Karinchak (3-2), worked a perfect 10th for the victory. The Mariners fell to 3-6 on a 10-game, 11-day road trip that concludes Sunday at Progressive Field.
“Sometimes, days like this turn out even better than you hope because everyone is a part of it,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “Even guys who weren’t in the game at the start of it, and there were a lot of them for us today.”
Hank Fraley hit a two-run homer in the third and Dylan Moore had a solo shot in the seventh for Seattle, which went 0 for 14 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base. Moore had two hits and two RBIs in his return from a 22-game absence with a strained left calf.
Kikuchi worked on extended rest after being hit on the right knee with a batted ball on June 5 against the Angels.
Indians starter Triston McKenzie only recorded two outs, walking four, in his shortest appearance in the majors. The right-hander walked the bases loaded, then forced home J.P. Crawford with a free pass to Moore before being pulled.
McKenzie, who was recalled from Triple-A Columbus before the game, leads the AL with 39 walks despite being optioned to the minors three times since May 22. He threw 12 strikes in 32 pitches.
“You win as a team and you lose as a team,” McKenzie said. “We’re a great example of that. Everyone tries to pick each other up when they need it.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: 1B Evan White (left hip flexor strain) went 1 for 4 with a three-run homer in the first game of his rehabilitation assignment Friday with Triple-A Tacoma. White has been on the 10-day IL since May 14.
Indians: C Austin Hedges (head) was not in the lineup, one day after being struck on the helmet by a pitch from Mariners RHP Justin Dunn. Manager Terry Francona said Hedges “looks terrific and is going to be OK.”
NEXT MAN UP
With Hedges’ availability in question, C Ryan Lavarnway traveled to Cleveland to join the taxi squad. Starter Roberto Pérez is on the IL with a fractured right ring finger, leaving Rivera as the lone healthy catcher on the Indians’ roster. 1B Yu Chang is their emergency backup. “Chang said he caught in high school, so that was good enough for me,” Francona said, laughing.
UP NEXT
Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (1-2, 4.98 ERA) lost his major league debut to the Indians on May 13, giving up four runs in four innings at T-Mobile Park.
Indians RHP Shane Bieber (7-3, 2.96 ERA) has won his last three starts, striking out 24 with eight walks and a 1.80 ERA over 20 combined innings.
