Ariel Miranda drew cheers on those eight occasions he strutted toward the dugout after retiring the side Sunday, but the loudest applause was when the Mariners starter went the other direction.
Staked to 7-1 lead over Tampa Bay in the top of the ninth, Miranda got the three quick fly outs he needed for the first complete game of his big-league career.
Because of bullpen specialization and a general reluctance to extend pitch counts beyond three digits, the complete game in baseball has become as extinct as high socks with stirrups. A year after finishing with two of them, the 2017 Mariners had none until Sunday.