Red Sox rock Paxton but can't hold off M's

Celebrating 6 with grasshoppers SEATTLE -- The Red Sox needed setup men Heath Hembree and Matt Barnes to provide a clean handoff to Craig Kimbrel to keep their win streak going. But the two righties allowed the Mariners to come surging back, and Boston took a 7-6 loss on Friday night at Safeco Field.

Clinging to a 6-5 lead to start the eighth, Barnes gave up a walk to Ryon Healy, a single to Ben Gamel and then a back-breaking, pinch-hit, two-run double by pinch-hitter Denard Span, who had already haunted Boston multiple times this season while playing for the Rays.

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The Red Sox put the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base in the ninth, but Eduardo Nunez swung at an…