DETROIT -- Franklin Gutierrez got the biggest hit of his unlikely comeback this season.
He blasted a grand slam to cap a five-run eighth as the Seattle Mariners won a slugfest with the Detroit Tigers 11-9 on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.
Gutierrez's opposite-field shot off reliever Neftali Feliz (1-3) was the second grand slam of his career and the second pinch-hit grand slam in Mariners' history. His other grand slam came on May 27, 2008, against the Chicago White Sox.
The 32-year-old outfielder was out of baseball last season as injuries sidelined his career. He signed a minor-league contract during the winter and earned a promotion last month.
"It's huge for me to come back again and have an opportunity to do something," Gutierrez said. "It's huge for me to contribute any time I can contribute."
Gutierrez has settled into a backup and pinch-hitting role, hitting .306 in 36 at-bats. But he had only one home run and two RBIs entering the game.
"I know what my role is right now and I try to take advantage every time I go out there," he said. "Today was one of those days."
Designated hitter Nelson Cruz homered and second baseman Robinson Cano rapped three hits, scored twice and drove in a run for the Mariners (43-51).
Joe Beimel (1-1) pitched two-thirds of an inning to get the win and Carson Smith tossed 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to collect his eighth save.
Right fielder J.D. Martinez and left fielder Yoenis Cespedes hit two-run home runs for the Tigers (46-47). Cespedes' 14th homer highlighted a four-run fifth. Detroit third baseman Nick Castellanos had three hits, including a solo homer.
Seattle trailed 8-6 before center fielder Austin Jackson scored on a Feliz wild pitch with the bases loaded. Following an intentional walk, Gutierrez smashed his go-ahead shot to make it 11-8.
"It's a nice feeling running a veteran up there in that situation," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "I made my living doing that and I know what it takes in those types of situations. You've got to slow things down, your breathing's got to be right and you've got to be relaxed."
Detroit manager Brad Ausmus elected not to warm up closer Joakim Soria in the eighth. He had already burned through four relievers before bringing in Feliz to start the eighth.
"We were running short on pitching as it was," he said. "We can get into the second-guessing based on results. Truth is, I would not do anything different at all in that game."
The crushing loss brought back painful memories of the bullpen blowing a five-run lead in the ninth at Minnesota just prior to the All-Star break.
"It's right up there with the one in Minnesota," he said. "We'll get up and come back again tomorrow. The offense did a nice job of getting us back in the game. We some had some good at-bats, big hits, had the lead. We just have to maintain the lead."
Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth. But Smith came in and retired four of the five batters he faced.
Cruz put Seattle up 5-1 with his 455-foot blast over the center-field wall to lead off the third, his team-high 22nd homer.
That wasn't even the longest home run of the inning. Martinez cleared the camera booth in center with his two-run shot, a 466-foot bomb to cut Seattle's lead to 5-3.
Cespedes tied it with his two-run blast over the left-center field wall in the fifth. Shortstop Andrew Romine's RBI infield single and Gose's bases-loaded walk later in the inning gave Detroit a 7-5 lead.
NOTES: Detroit's All-Star SS Jose Iglesias was scratched from the lineup because of an illness. "He didn't feel great (Monday) and played," manager Brad Ausmus said. "He felt worse today, so we decided to give him a day." ... Seattle CF Austin Jackson stole two bases on Monday for just the second time this season. His 10 stolen bases are enough to lead the team, though he also has been caught eight times. "Believe it or not, he's still learning when it comes to stealing bases," manager Lloyd McClendon said. ... The Mariners' first four games after the All-Star break were decided by one run. They have played 35 one-run games this season, tying them with the Chicago White Sox for the most in the American League. ... Detroit's 5-4 win on Monday, highlighted by 2B Ian Kinsler's go-ahead home run, was just the second time in 41 games it won after trailing in the eighth inning.
