Mitch Haniger smashed a grand slam in the sixth inning, shortly after Arizona’s top pitcher Zac Gallen exited due to tightness in his right hamstring. The Seattle Mariners clinched a 6-1 victory over the Diamondbacks on Friday night.
Gallen walked Josh Rojas to kick off the sixth inning before being substituted during Julio Rodríguez’s turn at bat.
“Just a right hamstring spasm and I think we dodged a bullet,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “Credit him, it’s hard to pull back in those situations and understand what your body is feeling and call out your catcher. I think he’s hopefully going to be fine.”
Rodríguez then singled off Scott McGough, and Cal Raleigh walked, loading the bases for Haniger. Haniger belted a 389-foot shot to left-center on a full-count fastball.
“Honestly, just trying to get a ball in the air in the outfield, ” Haniger said. “Trying to hit a sac fly really, but put a good swing on it and hit it hard as you can. 3-2, selling out for a fastball with nowhere to put me.”
Josh Rojas and Mitch Garver also hit homers for Seattle, and Emerson Hancock (3-2) pitched six solid innings. Rojas homered on Gallen’s first pitch of the game, and Garver made it 2-0 in the second.
Arizona’s Kevin Newman homered in the sixth, one of two hits allowed by Hancock. Trent Thornton and Cody Bolton teamed up for three scoreless innings in relief.
“Another outstanding starting pitching performance tonight,” manager Scott Servais said. “We are on a roll with our starters, really our whole pitching staff. They’ve just been outstanding here over the past couple of weeks.”
Mariners starters have gone 14 consecutive starts without allowing two or more earned runs, a franchise record.
