Major League Baseball
Seattle 6, Atlanta 5
When: 7:35 PM ET, Monday, August 21, 2017
Where: SunTrust Park, Cumberland, Georgia
Temperature: 83°
Umpires: Home - Jeff Nelson, 1B - Cory Blaser, 2B - Ramon De Jesus, 3B - Lazaro Diaz
Attendance: 21284

ATLANTA -- The Seattle Mariners are learning that a late-season Triple-A acquisition may help keep them in the playoff race.

On Monday night, left-hander Andrew Albers came back to beat his former organization and help the Mariners keep pace in the American League wild-card race with a 6-5 win over the Atlanta Braves at SunTrust Park.

Seattle has won four of its last five games.

Albers (2-0) was acquired by Seattle from Atlanta's Triple-A affiliate on Aug. 11 and became the 16th starting pitcher used by the Mariners this season. He produced his second consecutive win after going 1,463 days between major league victories.

"I try not to count that high," Albers said.

Albers allowed four runs (three earned) and six hits against the Braves. He walked one and struck out three.

"He's been huge for us," catcher Mike Zunino said. "We've used a ton of guys this year. He knows how to attack guys. He's very well prepared. He's done what he's needed to do to turn it over to the pen."

Albers also helped himself at the plate with two sacrifice bunts to set up two runs, and he added an infield single for his first career hit and RBI. The baseball was displayed prominently in his locker.

"That's pretty neat," he said. "I'm not a good hitter. I got a little lucky there. I was just happy to put the ball in play. It worked out."

Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said, "He's a strike-thrower, just like we knew. He pitches. Who knows when guys find it and get ahold of it."

The Seattle offense was provided by first baseman Yonder Alonso, who was 3 for 5 with a pair of doubles, extending his hitting streak to eight games, and drove in three runs. Two of his hits came with two outs, and the veteran is 6-for-14 on the first four games of the road trip.

Edwin Diaz worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 28th save. He allowed a leadoff single to Ender Inciarte, but he was erased trying to steal second. Diaz retired slugger Freddie Freeman on a soft grounder to end the game.

It was another long night for Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz (10-9), who gave up six runs in 5 2/3 innings. It was the third straight start in which the right-hander allowed at least six runs.

"Not hitting spots, command's been a problem ... look at the ball-strike ratio, not good," Snitker said. "It's just something he's going to have to work through. He's going to work through it and get back to where he was when he was getting on that roll and being effective and being the guy we think he is."

Foltynewicz, who is being counted on to emerge as a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, struggled once he got behind in the count.

"At some point, I had to bring it over the plate and they did what they needed to do with it," Foltynewicz said. "It's been a tough whole month. I need to regroup and focus a little more and get back out there."

The Braves fell behind 6-2 but got back in the game by scoring three times in the sixth. Ozzie Albies drove in two runs with a triple and scored on Dansby Swanson's sacrifice fly.

The Mariners scored a run in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. With the bases loaded, Albers slapped a ball that shortstop Swanson knocked down with a dive, but not recover in time to make a throw.

The Braves scored twice in the second. Kurt Suzuki led off with a line drive solo homer, his 14th, and Atlanta added a second run on Ender Inciarte's RBI single.

Seattle tied it with a run in the third. Alonso led off with a single, went to third on Kyle Seager's ground-rule double and came home on Mitch Haniger's groundout to second base.

The Mariners added three runs in the fourth with two outs. Alonso doubled home a pair, and Robinson Cano immediately singled him in.

Alonso added an RBI double in the top of the sixth.

NOTES: Seattle RHP Felix Hernandez, on the disabled list since Aug. 2 with right shoulder bursitis, has started to play catch. Hernandez missed 54 games earlier this season with right shoulder inflammation. Hernandez (5-4, 4.28 ERA) made his last start on July 31. ... Playing without the DH, the Mariners opted to bench Nelson Cruz, who was hitting .395 over the last 20 games. ... Atlanta optioned LHP Rex Brothers to Triple-A Gwinnett and activated RHP Dan Winkler from the 60-day DL. Winkler has been sidelined following surgery on his right elbow, which was injured on April 10, 2016. A Rule 5 selection, Winkler needs to spend 57 more days on the active roster. ... The Mariners improved to 22-11 in one-run games, the best in the majors. ... Seattle won despite making four errors, something that hasn't happened since Aug. 24, 2011.
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Seattle   Atlanta
Andrew Albers Player Mike Foltynewicz
Win W/L Loss
5.0 IP 5.2
3 Strikeouts 3
6 Hits 9
5.40 ERA 9.53
Hitting
Seattle   Atlanta
Yonder Alonso Player Nick Markakis
3 Hits 3
3 RBI 0
0 HR 0
5 TB 3
.600 Avg .750
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Hits HR TB Avg LOB K RBI BB SB Errors
Seattle 9 0 12 .265 15 6 6 3 1 4
Atlanta 12 1 18 .333 13 4 5 1 1 1