The Mariners walked into the final game of the first half carrying a five-game losing streak and the kind of road-trip baggage that can make a club look flat before the first pitch. Instead, they flipped the script fast and left with an 8-2 win over the Rays.
It didn’t start clean. Hancock was tagged on the very first pitch of the game when Jose Arnada lined a ball off his throwing hand. He stayed in to finish the inning with smiles and thumbs up, but the unease around him only grew in the second when he walked Victor Mesa Jr. and was lifted for Jose Ferrar, who finished the frame.
At that point, it looked like the kind of day that could unravel quickly for a Mariners team that had been struggling to score and had just been blown out 6-1 the day before. But the offense showed up in a big way in the second inning and never really let go.
Josh Naylor opened the rally with a single, Mitch Garver drew a walk, and Cole Young added another single to load the bases for Victor Robles. This time, the Mariners avoided the familiar NOBLETIGER ending. Robles sent a ball sinking into the outfield, where a diving Mullens made the catch, but Naylor still scored from third.
That was only the beginning. Cole Young swiped second as Weston Wilson struck out, then Buddy Kennedy worked a walk to bring J.P.
Crawford up with two outs and the bases loaded again. Crawford stayed inside a pitch and lined a double into left field, clearing the bases for two more runs and pushing Seattle ahead 3-0.
The Mariners kept pouring it on after that. Weston Wilson, after taking some heat, delivered his second home run of the season to left field and stretched the lead to four. Then Buddy Kennedy reached on an error, Crawford followed with a single to put two on, and Randy Arozarena turned the moment into a blowout with a three-run homer to right.
By the time Seattle was up 7-0, the game had fully tilted. The Rays finally broke through in the eighth when Jonothan Arnada got into one against Bazzardo and hit a home run to end the shutout.
Seattle answered right back in the bottom of the inning. J.P.
Crawford came through again with a double that brought in Buddy Kennedy, and that hit effectively shut down any thought of a comeback. Munoz came on in the ninth and finished it off.
The Mariners close the first half in second place in the AL West at 48-49. It’s been a rough stretch, especially on the road, with injuries and slumps taking their toll on key bats. But this one gave them something they’ve needed plenty of lately: a clean finish heading into the break.
In Other News...
Mariners Fans May Need To Revisit One Prospect After This Stage
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For Mariners followers, the outing also fits a bigger picture that has been developing at Double-A, where Anderson has been missing bats and trimming the walks that once clouded the evaluation. After some outside chatter had pushed other names into the ace conversation, his latest look offered a useful counterpoint, even if the Futures Game is only one stage and not the final word on where he stands. [Read more 🡒]
Tacoma Just Made The Mariners Next Wave Feel Very Real
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Everett added to the optimism with strong offensive stretches from Luke Stevenson and Jonny Farmelo, even as the pitching results came and went, and Arkansas managed a split despite being without Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan while they were away at the Futures Game. The broader picture is what matters for Seattle: the next wave does not just look deep, it is beginning to look close, and Tacomas latest run only sharpened the question of how soon some of those names will force the issue. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Just Added An Outfield Athlete With Intriguing Upside
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What makes Boylston interesting is the way his game has been shaped by his athletic background and his running ability. He stole 14 bases without being caught for FAU, and that kind of efficiency tends to stand out for an organization that values speed and versatility in the outfield. The next question is how Seattle plans to develop that upside, because the raw tools are obvious enough to merit a closer look. [Read more 🡒]