After being on the receiving end of a three-game sweep by the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle welcomed in the struggling St. Louis Cardinals into town for a weekend series. The M’s got back on track and rattled off two consecutive come-from-behind victories on Friday and Saturday night, before falling in the finale Sunday. Here’s a look at how each game went, starting off with Friday’s opener under the roof of T-Mobile Park.
Looking for his second straight win, George Kirby got the nod in the opener against left hander Steven Matz.
20-year-old Jordan Walker got to Kirby in the second inning where he mashed an opposite field double, which scored Nolan Arenado and Wilson Contreras to give the Red Birds an early lead. Jarred Kelenic stayed hot with an RBI single of his own to cut St. Louis’ lead to just one in the bottom half.
Teoscar Hernandez (2-3, 3 runs), like Kelenic, has also been scorching at the dish. In the home fourth, he smacked a solo home run to center field, where he got to sport the upgraded “swelmet” and trident after crossing home plate. This tied the game at two apiece.
Teoscar Hernandez hoists the home run trident after his two-run shot Friday night. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)Photo: Getty Images
In the sixth, Seattle’s AJ Pollock delivered a two-run laced double, and Kelenic added one more of his own on a sacrifice fly to give the M’s a three-run cushion. “Los Bomberos” impressively helped Kirby shut the door on St. Louis Friday night. The Mariners’ bullpen followed Kirby’s six inning, five strikeout performance with three no-hit innings. Paul Sewald picked up his fifth save of the year as Seattle took game one by a score of 5-2.
In Seattle on Saturday, the Kraken hosted their first-ever playoff game at Climate Pledge Arena, the Huskies had their Spring game at Husky Stadium, the Sounders played host to Minnesota United FC at Lumen Field, but inside T-Mobile Park, it was Luis Castillo day.
“La Piedra” (AKA The Rock), battled against Cardinals’ starter Miles Mikolas.
Nolan Arenado opened the scoring in the top of the first. Much like Friday, Jarred Kelenic (2-4, HR, 2B) put one into the bullpen to knot things up at one in the home second. Wilson Contreras and Nolan Gorman hit consecutive RBI doubles in the third to give the Cardinals a 3-1 lead.
Again, much like Friday (and certainly as of late) Teo Hernandez kept his momentum going at the plate, as he hit a game-tying two-run home run off of Mikolas in the home sixth. Eugenio Suarez clutched up in the seventh with a two-out, two-RBI single, which scored Kolten Wong and JP Crawford. It was the second consecutive come-from-behind game for Seattle, as Geno’s base knock gave Seattle a 5-3 lead.
Eugenio Suarez barrels up a two-out, two-run single to give Seattle a 5-3 lead Saturday night. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)Photo: Getty Images
Castillo’s night ended after five innings, allowing three runs, striking out eight Cardinals. Penn Murfee, Matt Brash, Justin Topa, and Paul Sewald allowed just two hits (one a solo home run) after Castillo exited. Brash earned the win, Sewald earned the save, and the Mariners won their second straight, and got their record to within one of the .500 mark.
The M’s were in their Sunday cream jerseys, as it was Chris Flexen looking for his first win of the season as a starter, up against right hander Jack Flaherty.
Much like the first two games, the Red Birds jumped out to a lead early Sunday. Lars Nootbar wasted no time as he put one into the seats on the very first pitch. On a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play, Paul Goldschmidt scampered home, and the Cardinals were up two runs after the first inning was over.
Jarred Kelenic got one right back as he again homered on Sunday. This narrowed the Cardinal-lead to one run. After Kolten Wong and JP Crawford got aboard in the same inning, Ty France delivered with a two-run single to give Seattle a 3-2 lead.
But on this go around, St. Louis was able to fire back for the first time. Flexen was beat up again, as his shaky start to the season continued Sunday afternoon. Former-Mariner Tyler O’Neill singled home a run in the third, and Nolan Gorman, with two-aboard, hit a three-run shot to give the Cardinals a 6-3 lead. Flexen allowed nine hits and six earned runs over just four innings. Jack Flaherty spun his best performance of the young season: six innings, three runs, nine strikeouts.
Chris Flexen reacts in a negative manner after allowing a three-run home run Sunday afternoon. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)Photo: Getty Images
St. Louis was able to avoid the sweep in Seattle, as they won the finale by a score of 7-3.
The Mariners get an off day tomorrow as they hit the road to the East Coast. Three games in Philly, followed by three in the Rogers Centre against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Here’s a look at the Phillies’ starting pitchers who the Mariners will face off against starting Tuesday:
- Tues 4/25: LHP Bailey Falter (0-3, 4.50 ERA, 12 SOs in 22 IP)
- Wed 4/26: RHP Taijuan Walker (2-1, 3.80 ERA, 17 SOs in 21.1 IP)
- Thurs 4/27: LHP Matt Strahm (1-2, 3.00 ERA, 27 SOs in 18 IP)
AL West Standings as of Sunday afternoon:
- 1.Texas Rangers (14-7)
- 2.Houston Astros (12-10)
- 3.Los Angeles Angels (11-11)
- 4.Seattle Mariners (10-12)
- 5.Oakland Athletics (4-18)