SEATTLE -- Felix Hernandez and Justin Verlander couldnt settle things Wednesday night, so slugger Nelson Cruz decided the outcome with his bat.Cruz hit his 28th homer in the eighth inning after Hernandez and Verlander dueled through the first seven, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers 3-1 to complete a three-game sweep.Cruz hit a 1-1 pitch from Justin Wilson (2-4) over the batters eye 421 feet away to help the Mariners get their season-high sixth straight victory.Hes always aggressive with the fastball, Cruz said. I looked for something I could hit.Hernandez and Verlander each pitched seven innings of one-run ball in a battle of former Cy Young Award winners. Hernandez struck out eight and allowed three hits and four walks, while Verlander allowed seven hits and two walks and struck out six.It was what it was billed to be, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. Two very good pitchers going at it, Felix and (Verlander), and they both pitched outstanding. The difference was the eighth inning.Leonys Martin added an insurance run on an RBI single later in the eighth. That gave Nick Vincent more of a cushion to finish the game, and he got his second save filling in for closer Edwin Diaz, who needed to rest.Hernandez was lifted after throwing a season-high 117 pitches, and Verlander also had a season high with 121. Both knew they had to work long into the game to protect their bullpens after a 15-inning contest on Tuesday.Hernandez had trouble in his previous four starts with the first inning, allowing a combined nine runs. He retired the side 1-2-3 to begin Wednesday.About time, Hernandez said. I just tried to make better pitches in the first inning. Facing a great lineup, facing a great pitcher, your level, you have to raise it up. You just have to challenge them.Instead, Verlander flinched in the first, allowing Robinson Cano to tag him for his 25th homer on a 1-2 changeup.I knew, based on (Tuesday), my pitch count limit was probably a little higher than it normally would be, Verlander said. And thats to be expected, thats what I want, thats what I needed tonight. Those guys battled. It was a combination of those guys battling and fouling off some tough pitches, and me not being as consistent as I would like early in the game.All of a sudden you look up and find yourself with 75 or so pitches after four, and thats not very conducive of going deep in the game. I was happy to go out and get through seven innings and not have our bullpen come in too early, because they were pretty taxed last night.Arquimedes Caminero (1-0) pitched the eighth and earned the victory.BULLPEN BACKUPAfter Tuesdays game in which 16 combined pitchers were used, both the Tigers and Mariners added to their bullpens. The Mariners promoted RHP Jarrett Grube from Triple-A Tacoma, and OF Guillermo Heredia was optioned out while SS Luis Sardinas was designated for assignment. The Tigers called up RHP Warwick Saupold from Triple-A Toledo, placing OF Cameron Maybin (left thumb sprain) on the 15-day disabled list.CUPPING `DEFINITELY WORKSTigers reliever Alex Wilson is amused by Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and other athletes who have embraced cupping, a treatment that involves applying glass or plastic cups to the area of discomfort and either applying heat or suction to create a vacuum.Its pretty common (in baseball), Wilson said. Id say at least the last five, six years. It definitely works.He picked it up in Boston three years ago watching Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa do it.I think every swimmer and gymnast have cup marks on them now, he said. Its kind of fun to watch.TRAINERS ROOMTigers: The club placed OF Cameron Maybin on the DL (sprained left thumb) before the game, retroactive to Aug. 4. ... RHP Bruce Rondon missed the series to be with his wife about to deliver a baby. He will join the team Friday in Texas. ... RHP Shane Greene (oblique strain) should be ready to pitch again by Friday.Mariners: LHP Charlie Furbush, on the DL all season, will have rotator cuff surgery Tuesday. His recovery time is 12 to 18 months. ... LHP James Paxton, hit on the left elbow by a line drive Aug. 7, is moving along at a good pace, manager Scott Servais said. No determination has been made when he will start again. He needs to play catch and have a bullpen session to see how it holds up.UP NEXTTigers: RHP Anibal Sanchez (6-11, 5.88) pitches in the opener of a series against Texas on Friday. Hell face righty Yu Darvish (2-3, 2.78).Mariners: LHP Ariel Miranda (1-0, 6.00) worked one inning -- and was the winning pitcher -- in Tuesdays 15-inning victory. That shouldnt prevent him from starting against the As on Friday. He has had three appearances since his acquisition from Baltimore July 31. Taylor Gabriel Jersey . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. George Trafton Jersey . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. http://www.custombearsjersey.com/custom-jim-harbaugh-jersey-large-1166t.html .Y. -- Sabres forward Drew Stafford has witnessed plenty of turmoil during his eight seasons in Buffalo. Bulldog Turner Jersey . With the first unit struggling of late and Amir Johnson - one of the teams iron men - hobbling on an injured right ankle, Patterson knew he could get the nod in a challenging matchup against one of the leagues up and coming players at his position. Joel Iyiegbuniwe Jersey . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Lance Franklin will buck a recent trend if he can kick a big bag of goals in Saturdays AFL grand final against the Western Bulldogs.The only players to have kicked five goals in a grand final in the past decade were his former Hawthorn teammate Jarryd Roughead in 2014 and Geelongs Cam Mooney in 2007.One has to go back to 1997 to find the last player to kick more than five in a season decider.Darren Jarman kicked six in Adelaides win over St Kilda, while a year earlier the games most prolific all-time goalkicker, Tony Lockett, booted six in a losing cause for Sydney against North Melbourne .Its very rare that you get a big key forward kick five or six goals (in a grand final), said former key forward Barry Hall, who kicked a total of five goals in his three grand final appearances, with a best effort of three.You dont get the traditional forwards kicking big bags of goals and winning the game for you.Its just a different game of footy.Franklin has kicked ten goals in his four grand final appearances, a lower strike rate than his career average of over three a game.Buddys bbest goal efforts in season deciders were both in a losing team.ddddddddddddHis kicked four for the Swans against the Hawks in 2014 and his next highest tally of three was for Hawthorn against Sydney two years earlier.Conversely, he kicked just one and two in victories over Fremantle and Geelong in 2013 and 2008 respectively.Franklins 80-goal campaign has pushed him up ten places in the all-time goalkicking list headed by Locketts 1360 majors.Hes moved up to 12th spot with 786, having this year overtaken the likes of Hall, Wayne Carey, Peter Hudson and Stephen Kernahan.If he can fulfil the six seasons remaining on his Sydney contract. Franklin could well become just the sixth man to kick 1000 goals, needing an average of around 43 a year to reach four figures.However, Locketts tally, which is starting to develop the unattainable aura of Bradmans Test cricket average of 99.94, looks safe as Buddy would need to average 95 a year to catch Plugger. ' ' '