Detroit Tigers Secure Series Win Over Seattle Mariners
SEATTLE — There probably wasn't a lot of Seattle Mariners fans expecting a series loss against the Detroit Tigers coming off a weekend of solid games against the Philadelphia Phillies.
But here we are.
The Tigers beat the Mariners 6-2 on Wednesday night to secure the series win and drop Seattle to 59-56 on the season.
Most fans on Wednesday expected a pitching duel between two the American League's best starters in Tarik Skubal (Detroit) and George Kirby (Seattle).
"Certainly coming in the game tonight you expected a lot of really good pitching with George and Skubal matched up," Mariners manager Scott Servais said in a postgame interview Wednesday. "Skubal was right on top of his game and had all his pitches working. And George — I thought his stuff was good just maybe not as sharp as we're usually seeing (from) him. ... It's one of those games where got to keep it close and hopefully come up with a big hit at the end of the game."
Kirby faltered first and allowed a first-inning, lead-off home run to Wenceel Perez that put the Tigers up by one.
Two innings later — Bligh Madris hit a double to right field. Mitch Haniger was charged for a fielding error on the hit and Matt Vierling scored as a result. This miscue upped Detroit's lead to 2-0. The Tigers added one more run in the top of the fourth after a Jake Rogers solo home run to left field.
Kirby was pulled after five innings pitched. He allowed three runs (all earned) off seven hits and allowed two home runs. He struck out seven batters.
Seattle got its first (and only runs) in the bottom of the fourth when Cal Raleigh hit his 24th home run of the season. It was a 427-foot, two-run shot to center field that cut the Tigers' lead down to 3-2.
Swung on and Dumped 💣 pic.twitter.com/4NyS9fTzZB
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 8, 2024
That score held until the final two innings of the game. The Mariners had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the eighth in the same way they got on the board in the first place: a two-run Raleigh home run to center field.
Detroit center fielder Parker Meadows robbed Raleigh of a go-ahead two-run homer with a leaping catch against the center field wall.
The Tigers took advantage Meadows' catch and tacked on three more runs in the top of the ninth. Gio Urshela had a two-RBI single for the final score of 6-2.
It seems like after a week-and-a-half of impressive showings on offense, the team has finally settled down a bit. The offense wasn't going to put up seven runs a game for the rest of the season. But the drop off from the Philadelphia series to the Detroit one was quick.
Seattle will presumably get a boost in the next few weeks with the expected return of Dominic Canzone during this homestead and Julio Rodriguez at some point this month.
The Mariners will need the extra bats. The loss to the Tigers on Wednesday gave the Houston Astros sole possession of the American League West by half a game.
Seattle will be looking to take at least one game from Detroit at 6:40 p.m. PT on Thursday at T-Mobile Park. Bryan Woo will get the start.
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