Major League Baseball

Giovanny Urshela hits 1st MLB homer to help Indians over Mariners

Published Jun. 11, 2015 3:47 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Giovanny Urshela got his first major league hit in the third inning.

He added his first big league home run in the sixth.

Unfortunately, his family did not get to see either milestone.

"They left in the second inning," he said.

The 23-year-old Colombian third baseman made his major league debut Tuesday, and his family stayed in town for three days. But his family had to start heading home and couldn't stay at Progressive Field for the entirety of the Cleveland Indians' 6-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.

"It's very exciting, both hits," Urshela said. "I was just trying to get one in one day, and I got two."

Urshela, who backed a two-hitter by Shaun Marcum and a pair of relievers, was called up from Triple-A Columbus when Lonnie Chisenhall was sent down Sunday.

Urshela grounded an RBI single past shortstop Brad Miller in a four-run third, the first batter after Tom Wilhelmsen relieved J.A. Happ (3-2). His home run off Vidal Nuno just cleared the 19-foot fence in left and rebounded onto the field.

Both momentos were retrieved and were in Urshela's locker following the game. Urshela smiled widely as he slapped hands with teammates in the dugout after his home run.

Asked whether he had any special plans for the ball, he responded: "Just keep it forever."

Urshela is 2 for 8 with three RBI in three games.

"You could see how happy he was," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "It was genuine, pure. You don't get to see that all the time. It's once in a lifetime when you get your first major league hit, first major league home run."

Marcum (3-1) retired his first nine batters and already led 5-0 before hitting Logan Morrison on the back of his right leg leading off the fourth. Mark Trumbo grounded a single just out of the reach of Urshela at third and shortstop Mike Aviles with one out in the fifth.

Robinson Cano, hitting .214 since May 9 (25 for 117), doubled to right-center leading off the seventh. The Mariners' final nine batters then made out.

Marcum struck out five and walked none. Zach McAllister and Cody Allen followed with perfect innings for Cleveland, which broke a three-game losing streak.

Seattle (27-33) has lost nine of its past 12 games and scored more than three runs only once in its past 15 games. Nelson Cruz, who leads the AL with 18 home runs, missed his second straight game because of back spasms.

"We didn't do much offensively," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "We hit some balls hard, but credit goes to Marcum, he kept us off balance. Cutting and sinking and did a nice job."

Happ allowed four runs, six hits and two walks in 2-1/3 innings. Brandon Moss chased him with an RBI single, and Roberto Perez capped the burst with a two-run single.

Zach Walters's RBI single put Cleveland ahead in the second.

Morrison was 0 for 3, ending his career-high hitting streak at 16 games.

Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis didn't start for the first time this season after playing in Cleveland's first 58 games. Kipnis is second in the AL in hitting with a .333 average.

STRONG OUTING

Marcum, making his fifth start since being called up in late May, had his best performance with the Indians.

"It was nice to go out there and be able to locate the ball and take what I've been doing between starts and actually have it happen," he said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mariners: Cruz is expected to return Friday when Seattle opens a three-game series in Houston.

Indians: RHP Scott Atchison (sprained left ankle) is likely to be activated on Friday or Saturday. He threw a scoreless inning in a rehab assignment for Double-A Akron on Wednesday.  

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball