Suárez hits 3-run homer and Mariners beat Padres 4-3 to win series

SEATTLE (AP) — Eugenio Suarez hit his second three-run homer in two games and the Seattle Mariners held off the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Wednesday.

Luke Raley had an RBI double and Bryan Woo earned his 12th win to help the Mariners take two of three in the series. They hold the final American League wild-card spot and sit just behind first-place Houston in the AL West.

Fernando Tatis Jr. laced an RBI double with two outs in the ninth inning for the Padres. He was stranded at third when Andres Munoz retired Ramon Laureano to seal it.

San Diego, in position for a National League wild card, is right on the heels of the rival Dodgers atop the NL West.

The Padres and Mariners share a spring training site in Peoria, Arizona.

Suárez, who hit a three-run shot Tuesday, replicated the feat in the fourth when he turned on a cutter from starter Yu Darvish (3-4). It was Suárez’s 42nd home run this season, fourth-most in the majors.

The Mariners opened the scoring in the second when Raley flared a run-scoring double with two outs.

Gavin Sheets had an RBI single off Woo (12-7) in the sixth, and another run came around when Jake Cronenworth was hit by a pitch from reliever Gabe Speier.

Muñoz gave up two doubles in the ninth but got three outs for his 31st save.

Key moment

Tatis stole third in the ninth before Muñoz induced a groundout from Laureano to preserve the victory.

Key stat

Woo was charged with two runs in 5 2/3 innings. His run of consecutive starts of six or more innings and two or fewer walks ended at 25. It marked the longest such streak to begin a season in major league history.

Up next

Both teams are off Thursday. Mariners right-hander George Kirby (8-6, 4.05 ERA) starts Friday night in Cleveland. The Padres hadn't announced their starter for Friday’s game against Minnesota.

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This story has been corrected to show that Suárez ranks fourth in the majors in homers, not third.

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