SEATTLE — Tyler Cloyd waited nearly four years for this moment.
SEATTLE — Tyler Cloyd waited nearly four years for this moment.
Making his first appearance in the major leagues since Sept. 29,2013, the 30-year-old right-hander pitched one inning of relief to get the victory as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Friday night at Safeco Field.
Jarrod Dyson scored one run, drove in what proved to be the winner and made a key defensive play for the Mariners (31-31) , who reached .500 for the third time this season.
Reliever Nick Vincent struck out the side after allowing a leadoff single in the eighth inning and Edwin Diaz pitched the ninth for his 10th save for Seattle, which has won 10 of its past 12 games.
Jose Bautista hit a solo home run for the Blue Jays (29-32) , who dropped to 1-3 on their six-game trip. Toronto has scored three runs or fewer in five of its past six games.
Cloyd (1-0) pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012-13, going 4-9 in 19 games, including 17 starts. After spending the 2015 season in Korea, he returned to the United States in 2016 but injured his arm while pitching for the New York Yankees ‘ Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and underwent Tommy John surgery.
Cloyd was pitching in the independent Atlantic League when the Mariners purchased his contract on May 12 and assigned him to Triple-A Tacoma. He was called up June 2 but didn’t see any action until Friday, when he relieved starter Sam Gaviglio in the seventh inning.
« I’ve been a little antsy, » Cloyd said. « I knew I had to be ready. The ballgame on the line and those guys are good hitters. »
Cloyd struck out Ezequiel Carrera to start the inning and got Ryan Goins to ground out to short.
With two outs, Kevin Pillar singled down the right-field line. Josh Donaldson then doubled into left center as Dyson made a diving attempt but the ball glanced off his glove. Dyson smothered the ball with his bare hand and got it back in quickly to shortstop Taylor Motter, who made a strong throw to the plate. Catcher Mike Zunino applied the tag on Pillar to end the inning.
« Unbelievable play, » Cloyd said. « Dice did a great job knocking it down and Motter threw a strike to Z. »
That seemed to spark the Mariners, who took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Robinson Cano led off with a double off the center-field wall against Toronto starter Joe Biagini (1-5) . After a one-out walk to Kyle Seager, Danny Valencia grounded a run-scoring single into left field to make it 2-2.
« Valencia’s ball just found a hole, » Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. « I thought (Biagini) was great, really against one of the top lineups top to bottom you can find in the American League. »
A walk to Zunino loaded the bases and Dyson lined an RBI single to center. Valencia was thrown out at the plate trying to score a second run on the hit.
Seattle added an insurance run in the eighth on Seager’s two-out RBI single off reliever Aaron Loup.
« The best thing about this team, there’s no hitting the panic button, » Motter said.
After getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the first, Gaviglio allowed an unearned in the second.
Russell Martin led off with a walk, advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third when Carrera lined a single off the glove of Valencia at first base.
Goins then grounded to first and Valencia stumbled as he attempted to start a double play. Valencia was able to recover and get the out at second, but Martin scored on the play. Gaviglio induced Pillar to ground into an inning-ending double play.
With one out in the top of the third, Bautista hit a 413-foot homer down the left-field line to make it 2-0. It was Bautista’s 11th home run of the season.
The Mariners got a run back in the bottom of the inning as Dyson singled to right field with one out, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Ben Gamel drove Dyson home with a two-out single.
Gaviglio went six innings, tying his career high. He allowed two runs (one earned) and six hits. He walked three and struck out five.
« Gaviglio was on the edge a little early but kept it in check and gave us a chance to win, » Mariners manager Scott Servais said.
NOTES: Mariners DH Nelson Cruz returned to the lineup after missing two games with a right calf injury. He went 0-for-3 with an intentional walk. … Seattle’s bullpen threw three scoreless innings, extending its streak to 13 scoreless innings in the past four games. … Toronto 3B Josh Donaldson went 2-for-4 with a double and has reached base safely in 10 consecutive games. … Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista has homered in three of five games against the Mariners this season. … Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman (6-2,3.25 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday against Mariners LHP Ariel Miranda (6-2,3.74) .
