Bullpen Rises to Occasion as Mariners Snap Five-Game Skid, Take Series Finale From Rays
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Seattle Mariners pitcher José A. Ferrer (45) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the third inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images [/caption]
Finally putting an end to their losing ways, the Seattle Mariners’ offense showed up early and the bullpen delivered a brilliant performance in a resounding 8-2 rout of the Tampa Bay Rays, salvaging the series finale to avoid the sweep going into the All-Star break.
The Mariners needed to use seven pitchers to secure the win due to a scary first inning injury to starter Emerson Hancock that resulted in him exiting the contest an inning later. The offense picked the ‘pen up, however, plating seven runs by the fourth inning, and eight runs overall.
It was a rare complete team performance by Seattle, and manager Dan Wilson hopes to get some key players back from injury coming out of the break while building off his team’s lights-out execution as the season marches towards the playoffs.
“Talk about a team effort from top to bottom today,” Wilson said afterward.
Here are some takeaways from Sunday’s satisfying - and much-needed - win:
The Offensive Wake-Up Seattle Desperately Needed
The Mariners were able to load the bases in the second inning, which hasn’t been a winning formula for a team that hasn’t been able to hit with runners in scoring position. But with struggling Victor Robles coming up to bat while still nursing a hamstring injury, the center fielder smoked a ball to the outfield, requiring defender Cedric Mullins to make an acrobatic diving catch to record the out. This allowed Josh Naylor to trot home on the sacrifice fly.
Third baseman and newly acquired journeyman Buddy Kennedy was able to work a timely walk to reload the bases. J.P. Crawford then exorcised some demons by plunking a ball into left field on an inside-out swing, scoring two more to start a crooked inning.
The many baserunners allowed Seattle to run up opposing pitcher Ian Seymour’s pitch count in quick fashion, hitting 46 pitches after the second inning. This came back to bite the Rays’ starter later.
After getting a few more baserunners in the third inning but failing to score, Weston Wilson demolished a hanging sweeper for a solo shot. His fourth inning homer traveled 401 feet, leaving no doubt of the outcome once it left his bat. Kennedy then hammered a ball to third, eating up Junior, showing as a hard-hit error on the box score. These bottom-of-the-order contributions provided a spark that the Mariners had missed during their losing streak.
The “error” came back to haunt the Rays as Crawford cracked a ball to right for another hit, pushing Kennedy to second. Randy Arozarena then took a breaking ball eight inches out of the zone and somehow punched it over the right fielder’s head for a three-run home run. The round-tripper drove the lead to 7-0 and blew the game open.
Not wanting to leave the field for the night, Crawford came up swinging again in the ninth, slicing a ball down the right field line for another stand-up double, scoring Kennedy.
In total, the Mariners had nine hits, with five of those being for extra bases, to go along with five walks. The lineup had production from all spots as all hitters registered either a hit, walk, or RBI in the box score. This kind of consistent production has been lacking of late and will hopefully be a sign of things to come after the break with the lineup getting healthier.
Hancock Hurts Hand, Bullpen Picks up Slack
Emerson Hancock was hit in the hand by a comebacker in the first inning while attempting to field the ball barehanded. He toughed through it into the second inning, securing two outs before walking a man. He was pulled after looking noticeably in pain. Seattle’s starting rotation leads the majors in innings pitched, so this unforeseen injury looked to test the M’s bullpen depth.
Reliever José Ferrer entered the game and got his team out of the inning on one pitch, a soft groundout to third base. He stayed in for the third and barely survived, allowing two men to reach base before having to face rising star Junior Caminero with two outs. The sweet-swinging Dominican was caught looking on a 3-2 fastball that barely clipped the zone. Junior tapped his helmet twice, signaling an ABS challenge, which ultimately confirmed the punchout.
It was a fiery and dominant performance from Ferrer, who kept the Rays off the scoreboard before handing the ball to righty Nick Davilla. Davilla then pitched a clean fourth and fifth before handing the ball to Gabe Spier, who had a chance for redemption following the three-run shot he allowed the night prior.
Relievers Spier and Michael Rucker got through their respective innings without allowing a run before bullpen mainstay Eduard Bazardo allowed a two-run homer in the eighth, giving the Rays faithful some brief hope. Closer Andrés Muñoz ended the first half of the season on a high note, striking out two to secure a much-needed win for his team.
In total, the bullpen covered 7 1/3 innings while only allowing two earned runs for Seattle, a convincing performance for a bullpen that has been much-criticized for its lack of depth.
Reinforcements Coming
It’s no secret that Seattle has underperformed this year. The highs have been high, and the lows have been low. While players haven’t met high expectations, injuries have also played a major role in explaining the sluggish start. For some players, they are dinged up and just need a few days off to get right.
Luke Raley has been dealing with lingering left forearm discomfort and a cervical/lower-back issue that has occasionally required rest days, but he has avoided an injured list stint. Josh Naylor had been nursing a bruised shin, sore wrist, and back spasms as recently as last week.
The bright spot of the M’s offense this year, Dominic Canzone, has been managing a nagging hamstring strain since the middle of June. Randy Arozarena has also been working through a hamstring issue of his own for a few weeks as well. Even Victor Robles was seen limping in Saturday’s game, but has been able to play through it for two games.
After eating a baseball to the back of his helmet last week, Julio Rodriguez has been on the IL as he works through concussion protocol. By all accounts, he will be raring to go once play resumes late next week.
Offseason acquisition Brenden Donovan has been sidelined with a groin injury that won’t dissipate. He is set to begin a rehab assignment this week down at the team’s Arizona Complex. It will likely take him a week or more to get right, but once he does, he will provide a boon to a Seattle lineup that has been searching for a leadoff hitter.
Setup man Matt Brash does not have the rosy outlook that his teammates do, with a vague projected return date of early August. His right lat injury looks to keep him on the shelf for the indefinite future and the team should operate as if he won’t be back until September, given the lingering nature of his injury.
While so many players are on the mend, Hancock’s new injury could cause issues in a rotation that has been quite healthy this year. When asked about his middle finger in his postgame interview, he told reporters that “it’s just bruised” and reported that his X-rays came back negative.
Hancock explained why he attempted to barehand a ball saying that “You’re going off instinct, it’s right there and it’s so close to you.”
He seemed optimistic about his injury, stating, “We will just see how the next days go,” while noting that he feels like he’s “in a good spot considering the X-ray results.”
Some injuries just don’t seem to go away without rest. Many of the M’s positional players listed above have battled through pain and mobility issues to keep their team competitive. This week-long break comes at the perfect time and will hopefully allow players to get healthy and ready for the race to October.
On Deck
The baseball world will shift its attention to the midseason extravaganza that is the All-Star break. The Mariners will return to the field Friday by welcoming the San Francisco Giants into town for a three-game series, followed by three more against the upstart Cincinnati Reds.
