BALTIMORE — The Seattle Mariners found a remedy for their recent slide with the struggling Baltimore Orioles.
Seattle had lost six of seven before travelling to Camden Yards for a four-game series. The
Mariners
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in the American League West, have already taken the opening two games in
Baltimore.
Mariners left-hander Wade LeBlanc (3-0, 3.26 ERA) will pitch the third game of the series Wednesday. He has been one of Seattle’s most consistent pitchers
this season.
LeBlanc is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in four career appearances, including two starts, against Baltimore. He will be making his first start at Camden
Yards.
“You go where you think the opportunity is best, and if it’s not, you kind of audible out and see what else is out there,” said LeBlanc, who signed with
Seattle after being released by the Yankees in spring training.
The Mariners are also getting a boost from their bullpen.
As a result, manager Scott Servais might be sporting a new look in the not-too-distant future because of a bet he made with Edwin Diaz earlier this
season. Servais said he would get waves identical to the ones shaved into the
side of Diaz’s head if the closer managed at least 50 saves this season. Diaz
recorded his league-leading 29th save Tuesday night.
“I’m looking forward to the day; others in my family are more concerned,” Servais said about the potential haircut Tuesday. “It’s part of the deal. It’s
what you sign up for. It was all in fun.”
However
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.270 with 20 homers and 48 RBIs, was scratched from the lineup Tuesday with
lower back tightness. He snapped a string of 32 consecutive appearances. His
status for Wednesday is uncertain.
Meanwhile, Baltimore (23-55) is jockeying with Kansas City for the worst record in the majors.
Alex Cobb (2-9, 6.56 ERA) will try to get the Orioles back on track. Cobb had an encouraging outing against the Braves on Friday when he allowed just one run
over seven innings.
“You notice more when you do make mistakes over the middle of the plate,” said Cobb, who has gone seven innings in each of his last two starts. “They’re
not usually line-drive hits. They’re usually ground balls that if they don’t
find somebody, they’re just right out of reach. Getting ground balls on mistake
pitches really tells me that my delivery is in line and the ball’s coming out
the right way.”
Cobb is 2-4 with a 6.81 ERA in seven career starts against Seattle.
The Orioles got more bad news on the injury front when starter Dylan Bundy was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained left ankle. Bundy
suffered the injury running to third base Saturday in an interleague game
against Atlanta.
Showalter expects Bundy to return for a July 6 game in Minnesota. In a corresponding move, reliever Donnie Hart was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on
Tuesday to fill out the pitching staff.
Bundy is 6-7 with a 3.75 ERA and 1.208 WHIP in 16 starts (96 innings). Showalter has not decided which pitcher will make the start in Bundy’s place in
the series finale against Seattle.
“I want to make sure that we are able to physically keep people out of harm’s way and get through these games and compete in these games, and then we’ll see
what’s standing when we get through Thursday,” Showalter said.
Less than two years removed from spectacular rookie seasons that transformed the Dallas
offense
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Ezekiel Elliott are even more in control of the future of the Cowboys.
The team must move on without Jason Witten and Dez Bryant.
Witten retired earlier this month to join ESPN’s ”Monday Night Football” following 15 seasons as the Cowboys tight end.
He left as the club leader in catches (1,152), receiving yards (12,448) and games played (239). Witten was selected to the Pro Bowl 11 times.
Bryant was a three-time Pro Bowler playing all eight of his NFL seasons for Dallas before being released in April.
”As we lost those guys, the first statement coming in was we’re not trying to replace those guys,” Prescott said Wednesday after the Cowboys completed the
second of three days of offseason practices this week.
”Those guys are irreplaceable.”
Prescott knows something about replacing a big-name Cowboy. He did so after four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo was lost to injury before the 2016
season.
As a fourth-round selection in 2016, Prescott led Dallas to a 13-3 record, an NFL East title and was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Elliott, Dallas’ first-round pick that year, led the NFL in rushing yards in 2016 with 1,631. Last
season
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domestic violence allegations. The Cowboys dropped to 9-7, finishing four games
behind the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the division.
Witten most often led quietly, by example. Bryant was vocal, animated both on and off the field.
Prescott said his leadership style probably more resembles Witten’s.
”Those guys did a great job of encouraging me to be the kind of leader that I am,” Prescott said. ”Kind of making me take charge. Now with those guys gone,
it’s really no different.”
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Prescott made his presence felt in the locker room immediately.
”He’s had really unique leadership qualities,” Garrett said. ”The best leaders develop relationships with people, and he did that right from the start.
It wasn’t like he was banging the drum saying, `I’m a leader. I’m a
leader.”’
Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan sees a different type of leadership style in Elliott.
”Zeke sure brings a lot when it comes to his approach and how he plays, his physicality,” Linehan said.
Garrett said of Elliott’s season in 2017: ”Obviously what went on last year was distracting to anybody. There’s no question he’s locked in and ready to
focus on what he needs to do to be prepared to play his best football.”
As for who will most likely fill Bryant’s energy role
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yet. They’re working on getting to know their jobs and earning their keep. I
think that will get developed.”
Tavon Austin and Allen Hurns are among the newcomers who could fill the void of two players who combined last season for 132 catches and 1,398 receiving
yards. Austin was acquired in a draft-day trade while Hurns signed as a free
agent in March.
Two-time All-Pro right guard Zack Martin hasn’t participated in this week’s team drills so far, though he’s working out at the team facility on his own,
while his representatives try to work out a new contract.
Martin is in the fifth year of his rookie deal at a salary of $9.4 million. The Cowboys drafted him out of Notre Dame with the 16th overall pick in 2014. He
has started all 67 games in the regular season and playoffs for the Cowboys.
”He’s one of the best players we have,” Garrett said. ”He represents everything we want. We want him to be here for a long, long time. But there’s a
business side to this, and we all understand that.”
”We miss having `70' out there, but 100 percent understand the situation,” Prescott said. ”Know why he’s doing it. Want the best for him. I hope he gets
everything he deserves.”
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