Sucre’s surge an inspiration for Seattle’s run

HOUSTON — If you’re a Mariners fan looking to believe, searching for reminders that anything can happen in the game of baseball, look no further than the improbable tale of third-string catcher Jesus Sucre.

As the Mariners make a long-shot push for the playoffs in the final week, Sucre sits as Exhibit A in the “how to beat the odds” category. For starters, Sucre wasn’t even expected back this season after fracturing his leg playing winter ball in Venezuela.

Yet after four months of rehab, the 28-year-old played well enough in the Minor Leagues to earn a September callup. With Mike Zunino and Chris Iannetta handling the backstop duties, Sucre was viewed merely as an insurance option at that point.

He owned a career .176 batting average in 222 games over parts of four seasons with Seattle, but catchers are known to get hurt and Sucre is a guy who can catch and throw and had filled in behind the plate even for a few games earlier in the year before Zunino was ready to be promoted.

But knowing Sucre has history with Felix Hernandez, manager Scott Servais gave him a start on Sept. 5 with the Mariners’ ace on the mound and Sucre went 3-for-3 with two RBIs as Seattle beat Rangers ace Cole Hamels.

The next time Hernandez started, Sucre got the call again. And this time he went 2-for-5 with an RBI in a 14-3 win at Oakland. After a third game 11 days later — and three more hits in a 2-1 win over …

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