Ben Gamel's RBI single guides Seattle Mariners past Detroit Tigers

DETROIT -- Ben Gamel happens to be filling in for one of the hottest hitters in baseball. In his second game since being called up from the minors, Gamel delivered just like Mitch Haniger had been doing the first few weeks of the season.

Gamel smacked a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the ninth, lifting the Seattle Mariners to a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday afternoon at Comerica Park.

Hanniger, who was batting .338 with four homers and 16 RBIs, was placed on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday with a strained right oblique. Gamel, who was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma to replace the right fielder, hit .188 in 48 major-league at-bats last season.

"Last year, I was probably pressing a lot when I was up here," said Gamel, who had two hits Thursday. "So I'm just trying to take a deep breath and let the game come to me instead of going out there and doing way too much."

Gamel knocked in Kyle Seager from second base. Seager, who made his first start in five games after recovering from a sore hip, hit a one-out double off reliever Francisco Rodriguez (1-2). Seager knocked in Seattle's other run with a single in the sixth.

"Kyle had a great at-bat before me," Gamel said. "I was kind of watching the way K-Rod was pitching him, just kind of knew what to look for in that at-bat and I got my pitch."

Reliever Tony Zych (1-0) recorded his second major-league win with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Edwin Diaz collected his third save.

Seattle starter Hisashi Iwakuma allowed one unearned run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings.

The game was delayed 45 minutes by rain.

Tyler Collins had three of Detroit's four hits and scored the Tigers' lone run. The Mariners (10-13) took two of three from the Tigers (11-10) in the series.

Detroit starter Justin Verlander bounced back from two subpar outings and gave up just an unearned run in seven innings. He allowed six hits and struck out eight while taking a no-decison.

Tigers reliever Justin Wilson struck out all three batters he faced in the eighth.

"It was a well-pitched game on both sides," Mariners manager Scott Servais said. "Obviously, Verlander was on top of his game and Justin Wilson was as good as it gets. We had a little opening and Seager had a big at-bat against Rodriguez and then the big hit by the rookie Gamel. So we didn't do a ton offensively today but we did enough."

Verlander made a mechanical adjustment after giving up nine runs to Cleveland two starts ago. He then walked six batters in five innings at Minnesota while taking his second consecutive loss.

"Even in the last one, even though I walked some guys, I knew pretty much out of the gate that as soon as I started throwing, everything felt like it was coming out better," he said. "It's one of those things where you stick with it until it clicks."

Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias was activated from the 7-day concussion list and went 0-for-3.

A miscommunication between center fielder Collins and right fielder Jim Adduci allowed Seattle to break the scoreless deadlock in the sixth. With one out, Nelson Cruz lofted a short fly ball that Adduci tracked down, only to have the ball jarred loose when Collins collided with him.

Adduci then tried to roll the ball from his prone position to cutoff man Ian Kinsler, which allowed Cruz to reach second. The play was scored an error on Collins.

"We were both being aggressive towards it and that's what you want," said Adduci, who was kicked in the calf by Collins on the play. "I should have caught it. I did catch it and should have held onto it. I'm kind of upset I didn't."

Seager then followed with a single to center, plating Cruz.

The Tigers tied it in the bottom of the inning with an unearned run of their own.

NOTES: Mariners ace RHP Felix Hernandez returned to Seattle on Thursday to be examined by team doctors. He was placed on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday with right shoulder inflammation. ... Detroit optioned LHP Kyle Ryan to Triple-A Toledo to make room for SS Jose Iglesias, who was activated from the 7-day disabled list on Thursday. Ryan was 0-0 with a 7.94 ERA in eight appearances as a spot reliever. ... Seattle RHP Steve Cishek worked an inning of scoreless relief for Double-A Arkansas on Wednesday. On the 10-day DL with a hip injury, Cishek will make at least one more minor-league appearance but could be activated this weekend. ... The Tigers will face RHP Mike Pelfrey in the opener of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Detroit cut Pelfrey loose at the end of spring training with $8 million remaining on his contract.