Mariners rally for 3-2 victory over White Sox

CHICAGO - White Sox manager Robin Ventura tried two relievers in the ninth, and Eric Surkamp and Zach Putnam were unable to close the door on the Seattle Mariners.

Chicago's closer by committee approach did not work so well on Saturday.

Putnam yielded Michael Saunders' tying RBI single with two out in the ninth, and the White Sox went on to a 3-2 loss in 14 innings.

"We just didn't get it done," Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. "Right now we're at the point where we're using different people in that spot and every once in a while, those guys are going to give up runs. And when it does, it's going to look like a blown save, but we're rotating around guys until somebody really emerges."

Yoervis Medina, Charlie Furbush, Danny Farquhar, Tom Wilhelmsen and Fernando Rodney combined for six innings of one-hit relief for Seattle. Wilhelmsen (1-1) pitched two innings for the win and Rodney earned his AL-best 25th save.

"Each and every one of them came in, threw the ball extremely well," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said.

Brad Miller drove in Saunders with a ground-rule double against Ronald Belisario (3-5) in the 14th inning. It was Miller's first hit in six at-bats on the day.

Saunders and Logan Morrison had three hits apiece for Seattle, which has won five of six and 11 of 14 overall. Felix Hernandez pitched eight sharp innings to help the Mariners bounce back from Friday night's 7-1 loss in the series opener.

Chicago managed only four hits while wasting another strong start by Jose Quintana, who struck out 10 in 7 2-3 innings.

"When you play 14 innings and only get four hits obviously they're doing something right," second baseman Gordon Beckham said. "Long day."

The game was scoreless before the White Sox pushed across two runs in the eighth against Hernandez, who had gone 7-1 in his previous 10 starts. Conor Gillaspie had a leadoff triple and scored on Dayan Viciedo's double. Tyler Flowers added a sacrifice fly.

Quintana allowed four hits and walked one in 7 2-3 scoreless innings. The 10 strikeouts matched a season high for the left-hander, who is 2-0 with a sparkling 0.94 ERA in his last four starts.

"I throw my pitches in the count, throw both sides, getting ahead in the count - it (becomes) more important inning by inning," Quintana said. "I keep going with that, it's the best thing for long games for me."

Chicago was in line for its second straight win against Seattle before the Mariners rallied in the ninth. Mike Zunino had a sacrifice fly against Putnam before consecutive two-out singles by Morrison and Saunders produced the tying run.

Morrison's grounder went off the glove of diving first baseman Jose Abreu and bounced past Beckham on the way to right field.

It was Chicago's 11th blown save of the year.

"Your job is to go out there and get three outs, just like it is in the eighth or the seventh or any other inning," Putnam said. "I didn't do that in enough time today and hopefully try it again the next time I'm called upon."

Hernandez and Quintana were locked in an impressive duel before the late scoring.

Quintana struck out six while retiring his first 11 batters, including the side in the second. Robinson Cano had a two-out single for Seattle's first baserunner in the fourth, but Quintana fanned Corey Hart to end the inning.

Hernandez was just as dominant, retiring 11 in a row after Adam Eaton's leadoff single in the first. He also set down 10 in a row in another impressive stretch.

Hernandez got some help from his defense. James Jones crashed into wall in center to rob Abreu of extra bases in the fourth, and left fielder Willie Bloomquist made a leaping grab on the warning track on Viciedo's drive in the fifth.

The White Sox had their own defensive gem in the 11th inning when Adam Eaton reached back to grab Morrison's leadoff drive while slamming into the wall in center.

NOTES: Quintana also had 10 strikeouts in a no-decision against Detroit on April 29. His career high is 11, set last July 4 against Baltimore. ... McClendon said LHP James Paxton threw "extremely well" during his bullpen session on Friday. Paxton is on the 60-day DL with a left lat dorsi muscle strain. ... Mariners RHP Taijuan Walker (1-0, 4.50 ERA) faces RHP Hector Noesi (2-6, 5.33 ERA) in the series finale on Sunday.