Seattle Mariners Drop Third Straight Game in Walk-Off Loss Against Oakland Athletics
The Seattle Mariners' current road trip can be described in a way synonymous with their season — missed opportunities.
The Mariners dropped their third-straight game with a 5-4 loss against the Oakland Athletics on Monday. The loss kept Seattle six games behind the Houston Astros for first place in the American League West and dropped them to 69-69 on the season.
It was the Mariners' third loss in a row and the second time in those losses they were defeated via walk-off home run in the ninth.
"Tough way to start it. Walk-offs are always hard — they're difficult," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview Monday. "I thought (starting pitcher Logan Gilbert) pitched a great ballgame. ... Bullpen came in and did a great job. ... I thought the guys really fought tonight. The effort was there. Really battled all the way until the end. It's a tough one to take but we come out tomorrow and we get after it again."
Seattle pulled out in front after Cal Raleigh hit a two-RBI home run in the top of the first to go up 2-0.
CALifornia crush. pic.twitter.com/GJc87KpoKr
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) September 2, 2024
The Mariners went up 3-0 in the top of the third after Julio Rodriguez hit an RBI sacrifice fly that scored Victor Robles.
The Athletics stormed back in the bottom of the third with a four-run inning. First Brent Rooker hit an RBI double to cut the lead down to 3-1. Then Shea Langeliers then came to the plate with two runners on and hit a three-run long ball to left field to put Oakland in front 4-3.
"I felt like my direction was a little off on that (home run)," Gilbert said in a postgame interview Monday. "I didn't really get my hand out front and left it over the middle on a 1-0 count. The curveball before it might have been the bigger pitch to get back. Because if I get 0-1, it's a different story there."
Justin Turner tied the game up at 4-4 in the top of the sixth with an RBI single.
Turner ties it up 🙌 #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/kxNJD7oP8h
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) September 3, 2024
The two sides remained knotted up through the top of the ninth.
in the bottom of the ninth, Langeliers came to the plate to lead off the inning and hit his second homer of the game to give Oakland the win.
Seattle left seven runners stranded and 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position. It's left a combined 25 runners stranded and has gone 3-for-20 with runners in scoring position during its losing streak.
The Mariners had a potential break today with Houston and the Boston Red Sox both losing. There was a chance to gain a game in the AL West and the Wild Card standings.
Seattle needs to win the series for the playoffs to remain a somewhat realistic possibility. And now it has to win three straight to accomplish that.
Such is life for the Mariners this season.
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