Seattle Mariners
Mariners try to bounce back after blowout loss to Tigers (Apr 26, 2017)
Seattle Mariners

Mariners try to bounce back after blowout loss to Tigers (Apr 26, 2017)

Published Apr. 26, 2017 3:39 a.m. ET

DETROIT -- Daniel Norris had his best stuff and his worst result during his last start. He hopes to have the same repertoire with a different outcome in his start on Wednesday night.

The Detroit Tigers left-hander allowed more than three earned runs for the first time in 22 starts in an 8-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday. He gave up five runs -- four earned -- on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings in the first road loss of his career.

He will oppose another left-hander, Seattle's James Paxton, in the second game of a three-game series on Wednesday. The Tigers clobbered the Mariners 19-9 in the opener on Tuesday night.

"Last start, all my pitches, I was executing," Norris said. "That's usually best-case scenario, but sometimes baseball just doesn't do it for you. If you can go out there rolling on four pitches, nine times out of 10 you're going to have a good start. It's kind of what we bank on."

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Norris (1-1) has faced Seattle three times but did not take the decision in any of those appearances while recording a 4.05 ERA. When Norris looks at the current Mariners roster, he notices a lot of new faces.

"They made a lot of trades, but their core is kind of similar," he said. "You've got to keep an eye on the new guys, but it's just another team. Especially as good as I felt last start, I'm kind of chomping at the bit to get back out there."

The Tigers are trying to survive a stretch in which four of their top position players on the disabled list. They have received a huge boost from a couple of minor league call-ups. Outfielder Jim Adduci has back-to-back three-hit games, and first baseman John Hicks has six hits and six RBIs in 11 at-bats over three games since being promoted from Triple-A Toledo.

"Don't have a choice," manager Brad Ausmus said of playing with a makeshift lineup. "They've done a great job since they've been here."

Seattle welcomed back one of its key pieces on Tuesday. Shortstop Jean Segura was activated from the disabled list and had a three-hit game, including a homer. He hadn't played since April 10 because of a right hamstring strain.

"Jean swung the bat well," manager Scott Servais said. "It wasn't a great night to pitch, obviously. We struggled. We had some good at-bats, but it was a disappointing game."

Third baseman Kyle Seager has not started the past three games because of a sore hip, but Servais expects to have him in the lineup on Wednesday.

Another Mariners injury cropped up on Tuesday. Right fielder Mitch Haniger left the game in the third inning with a strained oblique. He returned to Seattle to be examined by the team doctor and is likely headed to the DL.

"He's been our most consistent, hottest hitter," Servais said. "I feel bad for him, but we never said this was going to be easy. Certainly makes things a little bit tougher when you start losing key players."

Paxton (2-0) is coming off his only subpar outing of the season. He had his streak of 23 consecutive scoreless innings snapped against the Oakland A's on Thursday. He allowed five runs on nine hits and struck out eight in 4 1/3 innings.

Paxton will be making his fourth career start against the Tigers. He is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in those outings, all at Comerica Park, but he allowed a career-high 11 hits in his most recent start against them on June 21, 2016.

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