Winners of 7 Straight, Sleepy M’s Lose Opener to CWS, Look to Bounce Back

In case you may have missed it, your Seattle Mariners had won seven straight ball games before yesterday’s series-opening loss to the Chicago White Sox. The American League Wild Card race continues to shuffle between three teams, but the gap outside of the race continues to grow, which continues to benefit a team looking to break the longest playoff drought in American professional sports.

Yesterday’s loss to the White Sox can not be blamed on a team that sat in almost a five-hour rain delay on the other side of the country, and had to fly home and play the next day in the afternoon.

Seattle Mariners v Cleveland Guardians

A member of the Cleveland Guardians grounds crew helps cover Progressive Field with the industrial tarp amidst the almost five-hour rain delay on Sunday night in Cleveland. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)Photo: Getty Images

This was the case on Monday, where a tired Seattle team still put up a strong fight despite not being able to produce much offensively off of Chicago’s Lance Lynn.

In yesterday afternoon’s homestand and series opener, Chicago’s Starter Lance Lynn gave up a mere three hits over seven innings, striking out 11 Mariners. Lynn was able to hand out the most swing-and-misses by a starter (25) against Seattle this year, which was more than Starters like Gerrit Cole, Shohei Ohtani, etc.

Marco Gonzales did what he was told to and needed to do after a game that lasted around eight hours and 20 minutes on Sunday night in Cleveland. He was able to go seven strong, giving up four hits (two home runs) and three earned runs.

Unfortunately for Seattle, those two home runs were the difference maker in Monday’s matchup. Elvis Andrus (known Mariner-killer, not-known power hitter) continued to do what he does best against Seattle. He went 2-4, and his two-run home run, which went in-and-out of Mitch Haniger’s glove, was the nail in the coffin.

Chicago White Sox v Seattle Mariners

Elvis Andrus' two-run home run was nearly caught by OF Mitch Haniger on Monday evening (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)Photo: Getty Images

Seattle made for some last-inning, late excitement when JP Crawford made it a 2-3 game on a bloop single in the ninth, but pinch hitter Adam Frazier was punched out by All-Star Closer Liam Hendriks to end it.

Looking forward to today and tomorrow’s home games against the White Sox, the pitching matchups are as followed:

Tuesday 9/6, 6:40 PM - RHP Logan Gilbert (11-5, 3.35 ERA) vs. RHP Johnny Cueto (7-6, 2.93 ERA)

Wednesday 9/7, 1:10 PM – RHP Luis Castillo (6-5, 2.71 ERA) vs. TBD

After Toronto won both games of the double-header yesterday against Baltimore they have climbed within a half of a game behind both Seattle and Tampa Bay. All three of the teams in the running for current AL Wild Card positions have won at least seven of their last ten. Over the next two days, Tampa Bay faces off twice against the Boston Red Sox (67-69), and the Toronto Blue Jays take on Baltimore (71-64) for two more.

Updated American League Wild Card Standings as of Tuesday 9/6 @ 10:00 AM:

1.Tampa Bay Rays (75-58), +0.5 GB

2.Seattle Mariners (76-59), +0.5 GB

3.Toronto Blue Jays (75-59), -- GB

Baltimore Orioles (71-64), 4.5 GB


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content