With Jean Segura back Wednesday from the disabled list, the Mariners finally had their preferred lineup intact once more. And for five-plus innings, it couldn’t have been more feeble.
Detroit veteran Justin Verlander was in top form and resembling the guy of whom Doug Mientkiewicz once said the only way to get a hit was by employing Jedi mind tricks.
Then everything changed.
The Mariners knocked out Verlander in a three-run sixth inning before pummeling the Tigers’ bullpen for four runs in the seventh. And, hey, that reconstituted lineup produced a 7-5 victory at Safeco Field.