Seattle Mariners Close Game Struggles Continue Against Oakland Athletics
Most people know the popular phrase "when it rains, it pours." And in a borderline unbelievable show of irony, it's the team from the Pacific Northwest that continues to be the living embodiment of that saying.
The Seattle Mariners lost to the Oakland Athletics 3-2 on Tuesday. Seth Brown delivered the the walk-off single to score JJ Bleday and lift Oakland to victory. It was the fourth consecutive one-run loss for the Mariners, who fell to 69-70 on the season. The defeat dropped Seattle to 6.5 games behind the Houston Astros for first-place in the American League West and kept it 5.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot.
It's the first time since April 20 that the Mariners have been below .500.
For the second day in a row, every team in action that was above Seattle in either divisional or playoff standings lost. And for the second day in a row, the Mariners failed to take advantage.
"Another really tough one tonight," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview Tuesday. "Two walk-offs in a row is tough, not doubt about it. ... Offensively, we got off to a good start and they kind of settled in, the pitching staff, and they made it difficult for us later on. ... We've been able to strike early and get on the board and then it's just a matter of being able to add on. We talk about it a lot — continuing to add on throughout the ballgame is important, especially when you're playing on the road. And we just weren't able to do it tonight."
As has been the case for the Mariners during their losing streak — they started out in front first.
Seattle went up in front 2-0 after Cal Raleigh hit a two-RBI double in the top of the first. The hit gave Raleigh the record for the most single-season RBIs by a Mariners catcher in a single season (84) — passing his current manager Wilson's 1996 record (83). Raleigh has been responsible for four of the team's five RBIs during their two losses over the last two days against the Athletics.
Going into the record books 📚
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) September 4, 2024
Cal now holds the franchise record for most RBI in a season by a catcher with 84. #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/bRzlPAyg2r
Brown tied the game up for Oakland with a two-run, 410-foot homer to center field in the bottom of the fourth.
Seattle mustered just two hits after connecting for three in the first inning and failed to advance a base runner base second for the rest of the game. They left three runners stranded and went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
The Mariners inability to bring runners around the bases gave the Athletics a second consecutive walk-off opportunity.
Bleday walked and Shea Langeliers walked to set Brown up for his eventual game-winning single.
Walking off into Wednesday😴 pic.twitter.com/ldNVDfA2Fk
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) September 4, 2024
Many Seattle fans and media have commented that a series win was crucial to keep the Mariners' postseason aspirations a reality. Now, the best Seattle can hope for is a split.
Mathematically, the postseason is still possible. But Seattle has blown two straight opportunities to gain on every team in its way in the playoff standings.
A miracle can happen — but it's hard to see October in the Mariners future.
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