The Marlins would still hold on to win, though, 5-0. Miami Marlins starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen throws against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 18, 2017, in Seattle.
Robinson Cano worked a 10-pitch walk from Chen in the fourth inning.
But a double by Seattle Mariners right fielder Mitch Haniger off Kyle Barraclough with one out in the ninth denied Miami for the second time in three days. But Haninger ended the bid for a no-hitter rarity - Major League Baseball has seen only 11 combined efforts - by hitting a no-doubt double off a 1-2 fastball to the right-center wall.
Sometimes you tip your cap to the other guy.
Gordon went to third on a single by J.T. Realmuto, then the Mariners fell into bad luck when Christian Yelich bounced one off the plate so high no play was possible and Gordon scored without a throw. Barraclough struck out Robinson Cano before ending the game by retiring Nelson Cruz on a fly to right. Dan Straily and two relievers combined to no-hit the New York Mets through seven innings Sunday before Neil Walker broke it up in the eighth with a single off Ziegler with two outs.
Chen (2-0) did the heavy lifting Tuesday, silencing the Mariners by staying around the edge of the strike zone. Marlins manager Don Mattingly opted for his bullpen.
"It was great to see him bounce back after that rough outing against New York", Mattingly said of Chen, who gave up six runs in three innings against the Mets on Thursday. Chen walked two and struck out two in the win - his second of the season. The best contact Seattle made came in the fifth inning when Kyle Seager hit a one-hopper back up the middle that shortstop JT Riddle gloved and threw to first.
Chen got 12 fly ball outs and just seven on the ground.
Patriots CB Butler still in play for Saints
The bottom line: As if they weren't already, the Patriots will be Super Bowl favorites next year should they keep Butler around. He had the game-clinching interception that allowed the Patriots to win the 2015 Super Bowl against Seattle.
He had allowed no hits with two strikeouts and two walks when Marlins manager Don Mattingly replaced him on the mound in the eighth inning with Brad Ziegler, who pitched a ideal eighth.
Chen (2-0) was in full command throughout, throwing 64 of his 100 pitches for strikes, and keeping Seattle hitters off-balance with a low-70's curveball and changeup. Getting out there tonight Dee gets us a guy on second and we get a run there in the first.
"We knew his location was leaving him, and in our minds, he's got no chance to make nine innings at that point", Mattingly said.
Chen, who spent four years with Baltimore before the most recent two in Miami, had career numbers of 52-37 and 3.94 ERA entering the game. While the Marlins had a number of broken-bat singles or slow rollers that found holes in the infield, Gallardo did leave a slider hanging that Bour hit for an opposite-field home run.
A strikeout and a pop-up set the stage for Mariners left fielder Guillermo Heredia, who perfectly timed his leap to take away a three-run homer from fellow left fielder Marcell Ozuna.
It got better after that.
Mariners rookie outfielder Mitch Haniger carries a 13-game hitting streak into the series finale. "Then they got a clean hit, you do feel like you're fairly close, but it doesn't seem the same when they're like that ... between three guys".
After the Wednesday game, the Marlins have a travel day off before beginning a three-game series in San Diego against the Padres.
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