Seattle Mariners Coming Up Just Short in Recent Stretch

The Seattle Mariners are 4-4 over their last eight games and all of their losses have been by eight total runs.

Seattle Mariners first baseman Ty France (23) is greeted by right fielder Luke Raley (20) after scoring a run against the Los Angeles Angels. / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

With the Seattle Mariners' latest loss against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday, the team is now on the verge of losing the lead in the American League West.

The Mariners have a 1.0 game lead over the Houston Astros in the American League West — a far cry from the 10-game lead they had back in June.

If the worst comes to worst and Seattle goes into the All-Star break without the lead in the AL West, there will be a lot of games the team looks back on that could've easily gone the the way.

The Mariners are 4-4 in their last eight games and all of those losses have come by one run.

Normally, close games are what Seattle excels at. It's almost become a team identity for it to scrape out wins by the skin of its teeth. The team was 12-4 in one-run games as of June 3, according to Last Word on Sports. It's 8-8 since (20-12 overall).

Over its last eight games, Seattle is averaging 4.88 runs a game and its opponents are averaging 2.75.

In the Mariners' four losses, they've left 33 runners on base, according to box scores available on MLB.com.

It's a testament to the quality of Seattle's pitching staff that so many of those game have been close. It's also a knock on the offense that it can't seen to take advantage of scoring opportunities in high pressure situations.

Seattle has one more game against Los Angeles on Sunday at 1:07 p.m. PT and will come out of the All-Star Break with a three-game series at home against Houston starting July 19.

Related Stories on Seattle Mariners

MARINERS CAN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE: The Seattle Mariners left eight runners on base and didn't score past the first inning in a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday. CLICK HERE

MARINERS ROUT ANGELS: The Seattle Mariners posted their second straight shutout and dominated the Los Angeles Angels 11-0 on Thursday behind a two-home run game from Cal Raleigh. CLICK HERE

MARINERS LOSE IN WALK-OFF FASHION: Willie Calhoun hit a walk-off home run, his second two-run homer of the night, to lift the Los Angeles Angels past the Seattle Mariners in extra innings on Friday. CLICK HERE

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