Kade Anderson Debuts, Randy Arozarena Delivers as Mariners Walk Off Cubs Again

Looking to gain ground in a tight wild-card race, the Seattle Mariners welcomed the Chicago Cubs back into T-Mobile Park after walking them off the night before. The Mariners elected to go the exciting route again, advancing from a walk-off single on Friday to a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to secure a 5-4 win.

This was the Randy Arozarena game. Coming into the night, everyone thought the story would be about the phenom pitcher making his debut for the Mariners. Arozarena had other ideas, blasting a two-run home run 404 feet to dead center. If Seattle makes the playoffs this year, this game could mark the turning point of the season.

Seattle saw its top prospect, and one of the top prospects in all of baseball in Kade Anderson, make a promising debut. The bullpen was also able to keep the game close to set up a dramatic ninth inning.

Here are some takeaways from a triumphant Mariners performance:

Debut on National Television

Being on national TV for your first career start made an already pressure-filled moment even more stressful for lefty Kade Anderson. But he is already used to the pressure of big moments.

“I had the opportunity to pitch in some pretty big games [in college] and I’ve used those games to help me through this one. Obviously, there are gonna be some jitters, but I feel like I controlled it pretty well.” Anderson continued, “At the end of the day, it’s just another game.”

After getting two outs on a popup and lineout, Anderson earned his first big league strikeout against fellow LSU alum Alex Bregman. It was a fitting way to start his career as the consensus No. 1 pitching prospect in baseball.

Anderson got the second inning started the same way he ended the first, by collecting another strikeout. He struggled to locate his changeup and fastball for most of the second inning, ultimately walking Tyrone Taylor. But he was able to strike out Pedro Ramírez on a nasty slider in the dirt that got the batter to swing out of his shoes.

Anderson got the third inning started by recording a three-pitch strikeout on a high 95 mph fastball. But that strikeout wouldn’t be as exciting as what would come next.

Randy Arozarena then made the defensive play of his career, robbing a home run from Miguel Amaya in a highlight-reel play that will make its rounds on social media. Anderson tipped his hat to his left fielder before getting Pete Crow-Armstrong (PCA) to sheepishly ground out to end the frame.

The fourth inning went about as well as the previous three, with Anderson recording a popup, groundout and strikeout. The fifth wasn’t as clean for Anderson as Taylor walked before promptly stealing second base. Ramírez singled to push Taylor to third, all with nobody out.

Facing his first test of adversity at the major league level, Anderson did a good job of limiting the damage after a dreadful start to the inning. Kevin Alcántara hit a sacrifice fly to left field, tying the game at 1-1. Anderson was able to coax a double play out of Amaya to end the inning.

Leading off the sixth, PCA smoked a ball to the gap, immediately looking like a home run off the bat. Thankfully for Seattle, it slowed its progress and banged off the wall for a leadoff double. It was short-lived, however, as on a Seiya Suzuki groundout to third base, PCA started to take off for third. After confirming the first out, first baseman Josh Naylor gunned PCA down as he tried to return to second base.

The sense of relief was ripped away by the next two Cubs batters, as Alex Bregman and Michael Busch both tanked home runs on back-to-back pitches to end a promising debut for the rookie southpaw. But manager Dan Wilson still loved what he saw from the southpaw.

“Kade Anderson, I thought for a debut, was fantastic, really cruising through the first several innings. Ran into a little trouble there, getting close to his pitch count. I thought he threw the ball extremely well. He showed the poise that we all knew he had. Just really handled his first start very, very well,” Wilson said.

After an up-and-down start, Anderson’s final line read 5 2/3 innings, three earned runs, five hits, two walks and five strikeouts, a solid beginning to what Seattle hopes can become a remarkable career. Regardless, Anderson is “forever grateful for this opportunity.”

Randy Gets the Offense Going

Randy Arozarena, having been moved into the leadoff spot to face lefty David Peterson, unloaded on the first pitch he saw, sending it over the center-field fence to give the M’s an early 1-0 lead.

After the Cubs tied the game in the top of the fifth, the Mariners wasted no time giving their rookie pitcher his lead back. Third baseman Weston Wilson singled on a line drive to left field. This was followed by the hero of the night before, Leo Rivas, who took a pitch off his fingers for a painful free pass.

Next up came Arozarena, looking to keep the line going after scoring the game’s first run in the first inning. He inexplicably came through, hitting a swinging bunt down the third-base line and using his outstanding speed to beat out the throw to first for an infield single.

With the bases loaded, Dominic Canzone grounded out to pick up an RBI, as he beat out the double-play effort from the Cubs’ elite infield defense.

Seattle did little else offensively until the ninth inning, trailing 4-2 for most of the remainder of the game. But that was not the final score, thanks to some heroics from the man who led off the game with a home run.

The Moment

After two quick outs from Cal Raleigh and Cole Young, the bottom of the ninth was shaping up to be a quick 1-2-3 inning to send the M’s packing. But journeyman Weston Wilson was able to rope a double to right field to keep the game going.

Then came the hero from the night before. Not done with the theatrics, Rivas hit another looper single to right field, scoring Wilson from second.

Then, with one on and two outs while trailing the Cubs 4-3, Arozarena deposited a hanging slider over the center-field fence for home run No. 19 of the season.

When asked about his star outfielder’s performance, Wilson stated, “Three RBIs, you know, stealing a homer. Incredible day for Randy today. He carried us today offensively, obviously. He hit it really well. What a ball game. What a finish.”

It has been a turbulent season for the Mexican outfielder, who has often been highly criticized for his lack of effort in the field. But after his home run robbery tonight, no M’s fans will remember their critiques from earlier this year.

“Yes, I think it was my biggest game,” Arozarena said through a translator. “I didn’t expect to come into the game and hit two home runs and rob one, but yes, it was a special day for me, a special performance for myself, but most importantly, just a moment in time for the team and being able to help the team win.”

It was a performance for the ages, and one that he hopes will send Seattle back into the postseason.

“I’ve seen the hunger that this team has, the hunger that we have right now, and it’s something that motivates me personally. And I know this team, it’s what we are fighting for, we are fighting for a playoff berth.”

Bullpen Piece Returns

Once Anderson was pulled from the game, Wilson turned to Carlos Vargas to halt the Cubs’ momentum. It was a tall task considering it was his season debut coming off the injured list.

Vargas gave up back-to-back doubles to allow Chicago’s lead to grow to 4-2 before securing the final out of the inning.

Vargas was a workhorse as a middle-relief option last year, working through 77 innings with a 3.97 ERA. A noted ground-ball pitcher, he might be even better this year considering how much Seattle’s infield defense has improved with the resurgence of Cole Young’s glove at second base.

While it wasn’t the perfect season debut Vargas and the M’s had hoped for, seeing him back in action after so much time out gives Wilson hope of having a deeper and more flexible bullpen to ride out the season.

On Deck

The Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers and, most importantly, the Houston Astros all lost. Seattle now sits just three games behind the Astros for the division lead. The Mariners also passed the Tigers in the standings, moving to just two games back of the final wild-card berth.

The Mariners will go for the sweep Sunday by putting Bryce Miller on the mound to face Shota Imanaga. It will be the third consecutive left-hander Seattle has faced.

Seattle’s skipper is ready for his team to build some momentum late in the season.

“Another full team win. And [let’s] come back tomorrow and sweep the series.”