3 Up, 3 Down: Robbie Ray Stays Hot in Mariners' 2-0 Win Over Orioles
It's not often the Mariners win on nights that unfold the way Tuesday did. They went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and entered the bottom of the eighth inning with a goose egg on the board.
Yet another lethargic offensive performance necessitated a near flawless effort elsewhere. But they got it, keeping the Orioles glued to their hip at zero runs apiece. Seattle's struggling bats were given every opportunity to win and finally seized the moment with a two-run double from the team's rapidly growing cult hero.
That proved to be enough in a 2-0 shutout victory for the Mariners, who will look to claim their third consecutive series on Wednesday afternoon. Here were the three best and worst individual performances from the night.
3 Up
LHP Robbie Ray
Of the 98 pitches Ray threw, 71 were either two-seam fastballs or sliders and for good reason. Both offerings produced terrific results, generating a called strike or whiff 32.3 percent of the time. In all, he struck out eight Orioles hitters and allowed just two hard-hit balls in 7.0 scoreless innings of work. The Mariners needed their lead dog to be at his best and he answered the call.
OF Jesse Winker
You can't endear yourself to a fanbase more than Winker has over the past few days in Seattle. After a rough first three at-bats on Tuesday night, No. 27 broke the ice in the bottom of the eighth with a clutch two-run double that nearly left the yard. He now has 10 hits over his last eight games. The legend continues.
OF Julio Rodríguez
For most of the night, Rodríguez was the Mariners' only real source of offense. He went 3 for 4 with two singles and a double, registering an exit velocity of 97.9 MPH or better on all four of the balls he put in play. It's going to be tight, but the 21-year old is putting some nice finishing touches on his bid to repeat as the AL Rookie of the Month.
3 Down
C Cal Raleigh
Raleigh called a nice game behind the plate, but he was a non-factor offensively. Some of that is rotten luck, as evidenced by the two hard-hit balls he registered north of 105 MPH. Neither resulted in a hit and he added a strikeout to his night as well.
2B Adam Frazier
Frazier's bat is still missing. He went 0 for 2 with a strikeout before Kevin Padlo pinch-hit for him to lead off the bottom of the eighth.
OF Taylor Trammell
Trammell went 0 for 2 with a pair of groundouts, including an inning-ending double play that killed a bases loaded threat. To add injury to insult, he immediately exited the game with an ailing right hamstring—the same one that forced him onto the injured list earlier this year in Triple-A Tacoma. This would be yet another big loss for a Mariners team already in rough shape.
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