SEATTLE — A pitch-clock violation on Cleveland pitcher James Karinchak ended up sparking an eighth-inning rally to give the Seattle Mariners a 3-0 opening day win over the Guardians on Thursday night.
Up until the eighth inning, the game saw little offense production as both Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and Seattle’s Luis Castillo battled in an exciting pitchers' duel.
But then came the eighth inning.
Seattle's J.P. Crawford drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch but only after being gifted a ball earlier in the count when Karinchak (0-1) committed the lone pitch-clock violation of the game on an 0-2 pitch.
The reliever was clearly rattled, firing the pitch after the violation to the backstop. Crawford would go on to foul off a couple of pitches and eventually walked on a check-swing that Cleveland argued should have been called a foul ball.
Kolten Wong was then hit by a pitch with one out to put two runners on.
First Baseman Ty France would belt a three-run shot ,on a pitch out of the strike zone, that sailed over the wall down the right-field line.
France also doubled off the wall in right-center earlier in the game, finishing a triple short of going for the cycle.
Cleveland would threaten in the ninth, as Andrés Muñoz gave up a single to Amed Rosario and a double to José Ramírez with two outs. But the Seattle reliever got Guardians newcomer Josh Bell to ground out for the save.
Castillo put on a dominant performance, needing 74 pitches to get through six innings and that ended up being his limit. He struck out six and the only runner he allowed came on an infield single that clipped the right-hander.
Guardians will start RHP Hunter Gaddis in tomorrow's game. Gaddis made two starts last season and allowed 15 earned runs in 7 1/3 innings.
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