DETROIT -- If they hadn't already, the Mariners announced to the other American League playoff contenders this weekend that they are very much a part of that group.Seattle used a stellar pitching performance from the red-hot Chris Young to capture, at once, Sunday's series finale against the Tigers, the weekend series and, for now, the AL's final playoff spot. Behind six scoreless innings of four-hit ball from Young, the Mariners won, 8-1. 
Young improved to 12-6 on the year and 7-2 in his last 12 starts. Over that span, the big right-hander has posted a 2.45 ERA.While Seattle has come to rely on that type of performance from Young and the rest of the starting rotation, the Mariners also got help Sunday afternoon from an unexpected source: Chris Denorfia, who entered the game with a .185 batting average in 27 at-bats since joining the club at the Trade Deadline.Denorfia, who had three hits on the day, knocked the third and final Mariners single in the first inning. Detroit starter Robbie Ray labored through the inning, allowing two runs and throwing 28 pitches.The Tigers did little to help themselves in the third inning, when the Mariners pushed across their third run. With two outs, Logan Morrison hit a chopper to first baseman Victor Martinez that should've ended the inning, but he couldn't get a handle on it. In the next at-bat, with the bases loaded, Ray came up short on a wild pitch that allowed Robinson Cano to score from third -- one of four unearned runs the Mariners scored.In the sixth, Seattle took advantage of some poor defense on the part of Detroit to extend its lead to 7-0. With a run in already, Kendrys Morales blooped one to left field that was dropped by Rajai Davis, allowing Austin Jackson to score. The inning continued with an RBI single by Kyle Seager.A sellout crowd of 41,181 at Comerica Park broke into applause as Detroit plated its lone run in the bottom of the eighth on a Martinez double.With 39 games remaining, the Mariners, who have won 11 of 14, lead the Tigers by a half-game for the second Wild Card spot.Matt Slovin / MLB.com
Young improved to 12-6 on the year and 7-2 in his last 12 starts. Over that span, the big right-hander has posted a 2.45 ERA.While Seattle has come to rely on that type of performance from Young and the rest of the starting rotation, the Mariners also got help Sunday afternoon from an unexpected source: Chris Denorfia, who entered the game with a .185 batting average in 27 at-bats since joining the club at the Trade Deadline.Denorfia, who had three hits on the day, knocked the third and final Mariners single in the first inning. Detroit starter Robbie Ray labored through the inning, allowing two runs and throwing 28 pitches.The Tigers did little to help themselves in the third inning, when the Mariners pushed across their third run. With two outs, Logan Morrison hit a chopper to first baseman Victor Martinez that should've ended the inning, but he couldn't get a handle on it. In the next at-bat, with the bases loaded, Ray came up short on a wild pitch that allowed Robinson Cano to score from third -- one of four unearned runs the Mariners scored.In the sixth, Seattle took advantage of some poor defense on the part of Detroit to extend its lead to 7-0. With a run in already, Kendrys Morales blooped one to left field that was dropped by Rajai Davis, allowing Austin Jackson to score. The inning continued with an RBI single by Kyle Seager.A sellout crowd of 41,181 at Comerica Park broke into applause as Detroit plated its lone run in the bottom of the eighth on a Martinez double.With 39 games remaining, the Mariners, who have won 11 of 14, lead the Tigers by a half-game for the second Wild Card spot.Matt Slovin / MLB.com
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