ATLANTA _ On an ugly night when they made four errors and did several things to give away a winnable game, the Mariners got the one key play needed Monday to close out a 6-5 win over the Atlanta Braves.
Up a run in the ninth, closer Edwin Diaz gave up a leadoff single to Ender Inciarte, who represented the tying run.
But with one out, Mike Zunino was able to cut down Inciarte on a stolen-base attempt. Diaz then got the ultra-dangerous Freddie Freeman to ground out to end the game. It was Diaz's 28th save of the season.
The Mariners improved to 64-62.
Seattle starter Andrew Albers was credited with five innings pitched, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits with a two walks and three strikeouts.
He helped himself in the top of the second, notching his first big-league hit _ a bases-loaded ground ball off the bare hand of Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz for a brief 1-0 lead
The Mariners would eventually take a 6-2 lead and seem poised for a non-descript, drama-free win.
Instead, the season-long struggle to work a clean sixth inning turned the game into stomach-churning grind for manager Scott Servais.
After retiring the previous seven batters, Albers started the sixth but never recorded an out. A catcher's interference call on Mike Zunino on a swing by Matt Kemp put the leadoff runner on base. Nick Markakis followed with a soft single to right to end Albers' outing.
His replacement, Emilio Pagan, fared no better. After getting Kurt Suzuki to pop out, Pagan gave up a two-run triple to Ozzie Albers and a deep sac fly to Dansby Swanson. The Mariners' four-run lead had dwindled to one run. Seattle got a break to get out of the inning with a lead. The ultra speedy Lane Adams tried to score from second on a ground ball that Robinson Cano bobbled. But Cano fired home and got him even with a MLB replay review that made the out call on the field seem somewhat questionable.
Yonder Alonso continued to show why the Mariners acquired him from the A's. The veteran first baseman had a big night, going 3 for 5 with two doubles and three runs batted in. His two-out RBI double in the sixth proved to be the difference.
Over his last eight games, Alonso is batting .433 (13 for 30) with three doubles, a homer and eight RBIs.
