Seattle Mariners Can't Find Spark In 4-1 Loss to Baltimore Orioles
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners were able to muster a couple more hits and one more run than they did the night before, but a three-run third inning and an off night from starting pitcher Logan Gilbert sunk the Mariners in a 4-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.
Gilbert was coming off a month of June where he posted a 1.51 ERA in five starts and 35 2/3 inings pitched and allowed just a .167 opposing batting average. His outing on Wednesday wasn't terrible by any stretch, but it wasn't his best either.
Gilbert allowed four earned runs and six hits while walking three batters in 5 1/3 innings. He also struck out six batters during his outing. Those four scores dinged him with the loss and dropped his record to 5-5.
Baltimore first baseman Ryan O'Hearn put up the first two runs of the game with an RBI double in the top of the third. Orioles designated hitter Ryan Mountcastle followed with an RBI single in the same inning. O'Hearn added his third RBI with a solo-home run in the top of the fourth.
The Mariners' offense continued to struggle, but did better than it did Tuesday. Seattle was kept off the board until the bottom of the sixth inning — which extended its scoreless streak to 16 innings dating back to the last two frames of Sunday's series finale against the Minnesota Twins.
Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh broke the drought with a 423-foot home run to center field — his team-leading 15th homer of the year.
No. 1️⃣5️⃣ for No. 2️⃣9️⃣ pic.twitter.com/ocBVN3cuze
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 4, 2024
Raleigh's home run came after the Orioles pulled starter Dean Kremer. Baltimore's starter earned the win and improved to 4-4 on the year and had eight strikeouts and and gave up no runs and two hits.
After Wednesday's game, Raleigh had a .201 batting average, his aforementioned 15 homers, eight doubles and 51 RBI.
There were some more encouraging signs for the Seattle offense once it got to the Orioles' bullpen. Jorge Polanco, who's been on the receiving end of many Mariners fans boos — both at T-Mobile Park and on social media — hit a lead-off single in the seventh inning. Seattle backup catcher Mitch Garver, who missed Tuesday's game against Baltimore after suffering a wrist contusion from a hit-by-pitch against the Twins on Sunday, hit a single in the bottom of the eighth in his first at-bat back.
The rest of the Mariners' offense had some so-so showings. Julio Rodriguez and Ty France both went 1-for-4. Raleigh's long ball was the only multi-base hit among Seattle's five for the game. Rojas went 0-for-2 after being bumped up to the No. 2 spot in the order. The lineup also struck out 13 times — their eighth straight game striking out 11 times or more.
Mariners manager Scott Servais said in a pregame interview Tuesday that his decision to move Rodriguez down to seventh in the lineup before the series against the Orioles was to give him a breather. He joked on Wednesday about him being the final at-bat of the game in a potential walk-off situation.
Rodriguez again had the final at-bat on Wednesday. It wasn't with two runners on base, like Tuesday was. In fact, no runners were on. There were two outs and it was on Seattle's franchise star to extend the game. He didn't.
The Mariners have held the Baltimore offense in check better than most. In two games, Seattle has allowed six runs to an Orioles team that averages over five scores a game.
But the offense has not provided the output needed to take advantage.
With Wednesday's loss, the Mariners have lost their second-straight home series. Their lead in the American League West, which they've held since May 14, is in jeopardy. The Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-2 on Wednesday, cutting Seattle's division lead down to two games.
The Mariners are the losers of five consecutive series and have lost 11 of their last 14 games.
The offense has remained the talking point for weeks. Seattle has one more game against the Orioles, a three-game series against the Blue Jays this weekend, and a two-series road trip against the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels before the All-Star break.
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POSITIVE UPDATE ON GARVER: Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais provided some optimism for catcher Mitch Garver's availability ahead of Wednesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. CLICK HERE
ROJAS MOVES UP THE ORDER: The Seattle Mariners decided to make another lineup move ahead of Wednesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles and put third baseman Josh Rojas in the two-hole after he hit ninth on Tuesday. CLICK HERE
NOT THE BEST COMPANY: The frustrating offensive performances are nothing new to the Seattle Mariners, who have routinely been an average to below-average offense over the last five years. CLICK HERE
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