Bryce Miller's strong outing leads Mariners past Cubs

Bryce Miller allowed just an unearned run over 6 1/3 innings as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Chicago Cubs 4-2 on Friday in the opener of a three-game interleague series.

Ty France went 2-for-4 and Julio Rodriguez hit a two-run single for the Mariners, who won back-to-back games for only the second time this season.

Michael Busch doubled and homered for the Cubs, who managed just four hits. Chicago lost for the third time in four games at the start of their nine-game road trip.

Miller (2-1) allowed three hits, walked three and stuck out four. The right-hander threw 100 pitches, 63 for strikes. Ryne Stanek worked the ninth for his second save of the season despite allowing Busch's one-out homer to right.

Busch was the only Cubs player to reach scoring position in the opening six innings, as he hit a two-out double in the fourth.

Miller was replaced by Trent Thornton after issuing a one-one walk to Nico Hoerner in the seventh. Thornton made an errant pickoff attempt to allow Hoerner to advance. With two outs, Yan Gomes grounded to third baseman Luis Urias. First baseman France dropped the throw as Gomes slightly grazed his mitt while running past, allowing the Cubs to trim their deficit to 4-1.

Cubs left-hander Jordan Wicks (0-2) gave up four runs on five hits in four innings. He walked four and struck out six.

The Mariners opened the scoring in the second inning. Mitch Haniger and Jorge Polanco both lined singles to left and Mitch Garver walked to load the bases with no outs. Wicks nearly got out of the jam by striking out Cal Raleigh and getting Dylan Moore to fly out to right, but he hit Urias just below the left knee with a 1-2 slider to force in a run.

Wicks ran into more control problems in the fourth as the Mariners added three runs to take a 4-0 lead. Garver led off with a walk and took second on a wild pitch. A pair of strikeouts and two more walks loaded the bases for Rodriguez, who lined a two-run single to center field. France's line-drive single to right brought home Seattle's final run.