DETROIT -- Mike Zunino has endured a lot of failure this season. The Seattle Mariners' catcher failed twice in his only at-bat on Thursday, then delivered the biggest hit of the game.

He ripped a go-ahead double after failing to execute two sacrifice attempts and the Mariners held on for a 3-2, 12-inning victory over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

Zunino, who entered the game in the 10th inning, drove in shortstop Chris Taylor, who had reached on a leadoff single against Ian Krol (1-3).

"I definitely thought the first one was going to stay fair, just enough to get the sacrifice, and it rolls foul," Zunino said. "The second one, I popped up. It was up in the zone and I just got under it. Luckily, I was able to get a changeup and I didn't try to do too much with it. I didn't take too many swings today before the game, so it was nice to have a couple and have that one fall."

Not many hits had been falling for Zunino before the four-game series, which the teams split. He raised his average 11 points to .169 by getting five hits in 12 at-bats, including a three-RBI game in the opener.

"He had a great series," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He's struggled to this point, but this series Mike Zunino had some real good at-bats. Even his outs were very good outs. He came up big today. This was encouraging. He's starting to swing the bat pretty good."

Zunino was supposed to have the day off until the game went extra innings. He had one hit in his last 21 at-bats before the series.

"Right now, it's being able to stick with the approach, keep it simple," he said. "When you get the results, too, it's rewarding."

Fernando Rodney (3-4) pitched an inning of scoreless relief to get the victory. Tom Wilhelmsen notched his first save, leaving two runners stranded by getting Jefry Marte to hit into a fielder's choice.

The game featured a pitcher's duel between two impending free agents who could be traded before the non-waiver deadline at the end of the month.

Tigers ace David Price allowed two runs and five hits and struck out seven in eight-plus innings. The Mariners' Hisashi Iwakuma lasted seven innings after a shaky beginning, holding the Tigers to two runs and six hits while striking out seven.

"David Price was outstanding; and, for the most part, the bullpen was outstanding," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "We just had trouble scoring runs. When we get pitching, we don't score. And when we score runs, we don't get the pitching."

That's why Detroit (47-48) heads out on a 10-game trip with a losing record.

"The frustrating part is you feel like you take a step or two forward and then take a step back, almost like you're just treading water," Ausmus said. "We keep waiting for that step two forward and then that third step and fourth step and get rolling. Every time you feel like you're on the cusp of something good or something positive happening, we end up losing a game, and that pushes us back."

Third baseman Kyle Seager hit a solo home run and right fielder Mark Trumbo had an RBI single for Seattle (44-52). Designated hitter Victor Martinez doubled in two first-inning runs for Detroit.

Seattle took the lead with one out in the first. Seager, who came into the game 0-for-10 against Price, jumped on the first pitch he saw and drilled it over the right-field wall.

Martinez's double in the bottom of the inning put the Tigers in front.

The Mariners tied it in the seventh on Trumbo's opposite-field single.

NOTES: Mariners DH Nelson Cruz has averaged 403.4 feet on his home runs this season, including seven that have traveled at least 430 feet. He hit a 452-foot homer on Tuesday and added a 441-foot blast on Wednesday. ... Mariners LHP Charlie Furbush, who is on the 15-day disabled list with biceps tendinitis, threw a bullpen session on Wednesday. He will throw another bullpen session before going on a rehab assignment, according to manager Lloyd McClendon. ... Detroit 3B Nick Castellanos had hits in 17 of 23 games since a three-game benching last month. "Sometimes, sitting a few days allows you to take a mental break and hit the reset button," manager Brad Ausmus said. ... The opener of the Tigers' 10-game trip that begins in Boston on Friday night features RHP Justin Verlander (0-3, 6.62 ERA) against ex-Tiger Rick Porcello (5-10, 5.79). ... Seattle ace RHP Felix Hernandez (11-5, 2.77) will start the opener of a three-game home series against Toronto.