Orioles rally in seventh and defeat Mariners 5-3

SEATTLE - Alex Cobb gave up a run only three batters into tonight's game and nothing else through the sixth inning. One measly run. His seventh quality start in his last eight outings brought down his ERA and threatened to bring up more concerns and frustrations over an offense that failed to make the road trip.

It showed up late, announced its presence with authority and wondered if the output was going to suffice.

Cobb surrendered only four hits and settled into a nice groove, Renato Núñez greeted reliever Adam Warren with a game-tying home run leading off the seventh and Jonathan Villar's RBI single later in the inning pointed the Orioles toward a 5-3 victory over the Mariners at Safeco Field.

The Orioles roughed up the Mariners' bullpen for four runs in the seventh and won for the first time since leaving Camden Yards, improving to 41-98 overall and 17-54 away from home. They hadn't been victorious on the road since Aug. 18 in Cleveland, when Cobb started and went the distance.

It's never easy, of course, The Mariners scored twice in the eighth after Mychal Givens inherited Paul Fry's bases-loaded mess with one out. Givens should have gotten a double play on one pitch to Ryon Healy, but Breyvic Valera bounced a throw past Trey Mancini and the Mariners reduced the lead to 4-3.

Cobb stranded two runners in the sixth to leave him at 98 pitches and the Orioles rallied in the seventh with Núñez's homer and singles by pinch-hitter Cedric Mullins and Valera that chased Warren before the right-hander could record an out.

Ben Gamel made his second diving catch in right field to rob Austin Wynns, but Villar poked a single into left field off Zach Duke to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead. Joey Rickard followed with a fly ball to left field and Valera scored on a fielder's choice after advancing to third base and racing home while Villar was caught in a rundown. Second baseman Dee Gordon momentarily bobbled the ball and threw late to home.

Mancini added an RBI double off Nick Vincent to increase the lead to 4-1. The Orioles had scored only eight runs through the first four games of the trip.

Givens recorded his sixth save in his first appearance since surrendering a walk-off home run to the Royals' Whit Merrifield on Saturday.

Chris Davis returned to the lineup, and stayed there, after being a late scratch last night due to an illness.

Davis was batting .316 (12-for-38) in his last 10 games to raise his average to .177, its highest point since May 11. He singled in the second inning tonight, was retired in his next three at-bats and singled again with two outs in the ninth to score Villar for a big tack-on run and raise his average to .179.

Asked about his health before batting practice, Davis leaned against a wall and said he felt "better."

"A little bit more lively today than I was yesterday," he added. "I felt like I was floating around here yesterday. Didn't have a whole lot of energy. And rightfully so.

"Details? I didn't think you did. You don't."

I trusted his judgment. And his discretion was appreciated.

Davis was bitten by a 48-hour bug, the effects beginning to set in Sunday. The trip on the team charter to Seattle didn't cure his symptoms.

"Yeah, I guess that's kind of what they're calling it," he said. "Kind of started feeling just a little depleted after the game in Kansas City and didn't get much better on the flight. And then obviously two nights ago it was pretty rough and then yesterday it was kind of a battle, too. But I feel a little bit better today and hopefully it's run its course and it's gone."

So was the offense until the seventh inning.

Cobb was hit hard in the first, though he surrendered only one run on Robinson Canó's two-out homer to right field. Adam Jones took a step back and gave up pursuit.

Jean Segura flied to the center field track and Canó demolished a split-changeup from Cobb. Nelson Cruz walked on four pitches and Denard Span had a loud foul ball before striking out on Cobb's 25th pitch of the inning.

The run further tipped the first inning scales, with the Orioles outscored 106-61 this season.

The Orioles had a chance to tie the game in the second inning after getting singles from Davis, Núñez and Valera, the latter a bloop to right field with two outs. Gamel threw out Davis at the plate to keep the Mariners ahead.

Gamel outdid himself in the fifth by racing to the line and making a sensational diving catch to deny Wynns and force John Andreoli back to second base. Villar struck out and the Orioles still hadn't scored.

Cobb, meanwhile, ran up pitch counts of 25, 10, 24, 13 and seven over the first five innings. It was a bit of a roller coaster ride, with a nice dip in the middle innings, but Cano's homer remained the only real damage against him.

Rickard and Mancini opened the sixth with singles and left-hander Wade LeBlanc received a visit from pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre. Jones grounded into a double play, Davis flied to shallow left field and the offensive drought continued.

The floodgates opened after LeBlanc came out of the game.