Sean Marshall pitched eight strong innings, and the Cubs beat Seattle 3-2 on Wednesday night to snap the Mariners’ season-high five-game win streak.
Mike Fontenot’s two-run single with the bases loaded in the fifth broke a 1-1 tie, sending the Mariners to just their second loss in 11 games. After winning five straight in their final at-bat, there were no heroics for the Mariners.
Marshall won his third straight start, allowing two runs and seven hits with no walks, striking out one.
He made one mistake against Richie Sexson, who led off the second with his 10th homer. Otherwise, Marshall (3-2) kept a team that began the night with a major league-leading 13-3 mark against lefties in check. Ryan Dempster pitched a perfect ninth for his 14th save in 16 chances.
Seattle starter Miguel Batista (7-5) wasn’t bad, either. He lasted seven innings, allowing three runs — one earned — and nine hits. He struck out three and walked five.
Both teams got exactly what they needed from their starters after stretching their bullpens the previous night, when the Mariners beat the Cubs 5-3 in 13 innings.
The Cubs got something else, too: a hit with the bases loaded, a night after going 0-for-5 with the bases full. That was the difference.
