NEWS » Mitch Moreland began warming up with swings in t

SEATTLE (AP) —he Boston clubhouse around the fifth inning. Manager Alex Cora nearly used Moreland as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning but thought it would be better to wait.Good choice.“When you get to that situation or think you might be in it http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-giancarlo-stanton-jersey , you try to prepare the best you can and be ready for it when it comes,” Moreland said.Moreland connected for a three-run homer in the ninth inning and the World Series champion Red Sox rallied for their first win of the season, beating the Seattle Mariners 7-6 on Friday night.A day after losing its opener 12-4, Boston bounced back by rallying from a 6-1 deficit, capping the comeback with Moreland’s shot. It was the fourth pinch hit homer of Moreland’s career, and he’s the 12th player in Red Sox history with a pinch hit go-ahead home run in the ninth inning or later.“We wanted Mitch to hit with men on and he put a good swing on (it),” Cora said.It was 6-4 when Rafael Devers opened the ninth with a double off closer Hunter Strickland (0-1) Brian Roberts Jersey , moved to third on a passed ball, and pinch hitter Blake Swihart was hit by a pitch.Strickland got a huge out when Devers was nailed at the plate on Jackie Bradley Jr.’s groundball, but Moreland didn’t miss a 2-0 fastball in the middle of the plate and lined into over the right field wall. Strickland was checked by a trainer earlier in the ninth but remained in the game.Strickland said he had tightness in the back of his shoulder and was going to be looked at by team doctors.“I was all over the place, everybody saw it. It wasn’t good at all,” Strickland said. “I just wasn’t comfortable, but that’s no excuse.”Matt Barnes pitched the bottom of the ninth to close out the victory for his first save since 2017. The Red Sox have a different look in the bullpen this year after closer Craig Kimbrel became a free agent — he hasn’t yet signed with a new team.Cora remained coy about whether Barnes is the full-time closer.“We were watching the game and the game dictated for Barnes to be in the ninth,” he said.Boston’s comeback ruined another fine effort by rookie Yusei Kikuchi Thurman Munson Jersey , who pitched six solid innings and left in line for the victory. After pitching well last week in Japan, Kikuchi showed his new hometown fans the mix that made him a prized signing by Seattle in the offseason.Kikuchi allowed two earned runs and four hits, including homers by Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez, and struck out five.It was all for naught as Seattle’s biggest concern entering the season — its bullpen — failed to come through. The Mariners traded Edwin Diaz, who led the majors with 57 saves last year, to the New York Mets in a big deal during the winter.WACKY EIGHTHChristian Vazquez’s home run in the eighth pulled Boston within 6-4 and the Red Sox missed a chance at more runs in the inning when Eduardo Nunez bounced into a 1-2-3 double play against Cody Gearrin to end the threat. Nunez stopped running to avoid being tagged by Gearrin, but the pause allowed Seattle to complete the inning-ending double play.“There is nothing you can do there. You can run into it but it’s such a weird play I think everybody in this room would have stopped Jorge Posada Jersey , too,” Cora saidSLUGGING SEATTLESeattle continued its slugging start to the season with three home runs off Boston starter Nathan Eovaldi, who lasted five innings and allowed six runs.Mallex Smith hit his first career leadoff home run, Domingo Santana’s torrid start continued with his third homer and Omar Narvaez’s first hit of the season was a solo shot just fair down the right field line for Seattle. The Mariners have 12 home runs in four games, including eight in the first two against Boston.TRADING PLACESThe Mariners added depth at catcher by acquiring Tom Murphy from San Francisco for minor league pitcher Jesus Ozoria. Seattle optioned David Freitas, who started on opening day, to Triple-A Tacoma to clear the roster spot.UP NEXTRed Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (13-5 http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-giancarlo-stanton-jersey , 3.82 in 2018) gets the start after setting a career-high in wins and a career-low ERA last season.Mariners: RHP Mike Leake (10-10, 4.36 in 2018) makes his first outing since pitching one of Seattle’s two exhibition games when the team was in Japan. It will be Leake’s seventh career start vs. Boston. While looking for a rhyme for fifteen, a website told me to use French bean"Updated to show Mario Feliciano was the correct winner of poll #13.We’ve reached 2019 safely, which means, it’s time to start checking out the top prospects in the Milwaukee Brewers’ farm system. Community Top Prospects so far:Keston HiuraCorey RayMauricio DubonBrice TurangZack BrownTristen LutzLucas ErcegJacob NottinghamTrey SupakAaron AshbyJoe GrayPayton HenryMario FelicianoTroy Stokes Jr.??SS Eduardo Garcia (age 16)Signed July 2018 in International Free Agency2018 stats (DNP):Baseball America: 9FanGraphs: NR1B/3B Jake Gatewood (age 23)Drafted in 1st Round in 20142018 stats (AA):388 PA || .244/.302/.466 || 19 HR || 2 SB || 114 K || 28 BBBaseball America: NRFanGraphs: NRRHP Braden Webb (age 23)Drafted in the 3rd Round of the 2016 Draft2018 stats (A+-AA):120.2 IP || 3.80 ERA || 128 K || 66 BB || 9 HR || 1.392 WHIPBaseball America: NRFanGraphs: 13OF Trent Grisham (age 22)Drafted in 1st Round in 20152018 stats (AA):405 PA || .233/.356/.337 || 7 HR || 11 SB || 87 K || 63 BBBaseball America: NRFanGraphs: 14RHP Marcos Diplan (age 22)Acquired in 2015 from TEX2018 stats (A+-AA):118.1 IP || 4.03 ERA || 117 K || 74 BB || 9 HR || 1.606 WHIPBaseball America: NRFanGraphs: 18OF Pablo Abreu (age 19)Signed in 2016 as an International Free Agent2018 stats (Rk):241 PA || .250/.335/.418 || 7 HR || 9 SB || 61 K || 28 BBBaseball America: NRFanGraphs: 16OF Carlos Rodriguez (age 18)Signed in 2017 as an International Free Agent2018 stats (DSL-Rk):252 PA || .323/.358/.419 || 2 HR || 14 SB || 20 K || 9 BBBaseball America: NRFanGraphs: 20OF Micah Bello (age 18)Drafted in 2nd Round of 2018 Draft2018 stats (Rk):174 PA || .240/.324/.325 || 1 HR || 10 SB || 41 K || 18 BBBaseball America: NRFanGraphs: 21RHP Adam Hill (age 21)Acquired in 2019 from NYM2018 stats (A):15.1 IP || 2.35 ERA || 26 K || 7 BB || 1 HR || 1.500 WHIPBaseball America: NRFanGraphs: 23OF Larry Ernesto (age 18)Signed in 2017 as an International Free Agent2018 stats (DSL-Rk):243 PA || .247/.300/.399 || 5 HR || 9 SB || 74 K || 15 BBBaseball America: NRFanGraphs: 22RHP Lun Zhao (age 17)Signed in 2018 as an International Free Agent2018 stats (Rk):8.1 IP || 1.08 ERA || 6 K || 2 BB || 0 HR || 0.960 WHIPBaseball America: NRFanGraphs: 26IF Korry Howell (age 20)Drafted in the 12th Round of the 2018 Draft2018 stats (Rk):119 PA || .311/.398/.350 || 0 HR || 12 SB || 24 K || 14 BBBaseball America: NRFanGraphs: 24