J.P.'s walk-off single in 10th completes sweep

SEATTLE -- Domingo Santana, one of the Mariners drawing interest with the Trade Deadline looming Wednesday at 1 p.m. PT, showed again why he’s a valued offensive commodity as he launched his 20th home run of the season in Seattle’s 3-2, 10-inning victory over the Tigers on Sunday afternoon at T-Mobile Park.

Santana, currently limited to designated-hitter duties due to a strained right elbow, hit the game-tying solo homer with two out in the bottom of the eighth, then the Mariners won it in the 10th with a walk-off bloop single by J.P. Crawford, which scored Dylan Moore from second with one out.

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Santana said the elbow still impacts his swing a little, but it might have been a blessing in disguise when he turned around a 95 mph fastball on an 0-2 count.

“It probably helped me today in not swinging too hard at that pitch,” said the 6-foot-5, 220-pound slugger. “I’m glad I put a good swing on it. I was looking for a heater and just trying to react.”

Santana, acquired from the Brewers in December for Ben Gamel, has posted a .273/.342/.475 line with 66 RBIs and provided an impact right-handed bat in the middle of the Mariners’ order. But with just two years of team control before he hits free agency, Seattle could choose to move him in return for younger prospects who could be part of a longer-term rebuild.

The 26-year-old had slumped of late, going 3-for-28 without a home run over his last eight games before his 2-for-4 day in the finale against Detroit.

The Mariners managed just three hits and one run in 6 1/3 innings off Tigers starter Matthew Boyd, but Santana unloaded on reliever Joe Jimenez in the eighth to set up the game-winner for Crawford.

“J.P. has really played hard for us,” manager Scott Servais said. “We’ve seen him when he gets hot with the bat. He continues to play really well defensively, carrying himself great. We’re seeing him mature right before our eyes, which is awesome to watch.”

After his leadoff double, Moore had to make a good baserunning read on Crawford’s one-out blooper into shallow right-center, realizing it was going to drop as he raced home to give the Mariners their fourth walk-off win of the season.

“I was just trying to pepper something through the middle and it found a hole,” Crawford said. “That’s a 50-50, a do-or-die [for Moore]. If [the fielder] catches it, [Moore] gets doubled up and we’re out of the inning. But he made the right read and it all worked out.”

Seattle won its fifth straight to improve to 46-63 and recorded its first series sweep since taking a two-game set from the A’s in mid-May. Detroit has lost six in a row and 28 of its last 32 in falling to 30-71, the worst record in the Majors.

“This was a really good homestand for our guys,” said Servais, whose club went 7-3 against the Angels, Rangers and Tigers. “We really competed well the whole 10 days and finished off here on a nice streak. The Tigers are down, they’re a little banged up, but you still have to go out and play and make plays and pitches. We did that today.”