9/6/22

Mariners 3, White Sox 0

(Seattle, WA) Playoff baseball is always going to be high quality pitching with low scoring outcomes. That was what happened in Seattle on Tuesday night in game two between the Mariners and White Sox. Seattle had a young upstart on the mound in Logan Gilbert while Chicago had a veteran in Johnny Cueto but both have had very strong seasons. While Cueto was really good in this one, the defense and bullpen of the White Sox allowed the Mariners to grab a few runs and that was all they needed as Gilbert and company shutout the White Sox 3-0 to even the three-game series at a game apiece.

Both Gilbert and Cueto cruised through the first three innings with a combined three batters reaching base. But in the bottom of the 4th the Mariners would strike. Ty France would lead off with a double down the right field line. It would be the All-Star’s 22nd double of the season and the M’s were in business. Mitch Haniger would then hit a fly ball to fairly deep right field and the play was made by Gavin Sheets. France would tag and head to third and would beat the throw. That throw would get past third baseman Yoan Moncada and hit a camera that was out of play. Ty France would be awarded home on the error and the Mariners had a 1-0 lead.

That would remain the score headed into the top of the 6th. This would turn out to be the biggest scoring opportunity for Chicago. After Yoan Moncada struck out to begin the inning, former MVP José Abreu would double to center to put the tying run in scoring position. Eloy Jimenez then singled to center but due to Julio Rodriguez’s arm, Abreu would stop at third with one out. Logan Gilbert would not be denied and would a couple of 99-mph fastballs to strike out both Gavin Sheets and AJ Pollock to get out of the jam. Gilbert showed more emotion than he ever has in his major league career as he let out a fired-up scream as he walked off the mound with a second straight scoreless outing. Logan completed six innings with just five hits allowed, no walks and nine strikeouts. The second-year pro is now on a scoreless streak spanning his last 12.2 innings pitched.

Both teams would threaten again in the following innings. The Mariners would have two men on with one out in the bottom of the 6th, but Cueto would get a couple of pop ups to end the Seattle threat. An Adam Frazier single and Jake Lamb walk to start the bottom of the 7th chased Cueto after six innings of one run ball and brought in Jimmy Lambert from the Chicago bullpen. He retired Crawford, Rodriguez, and France in order to add the Mariners big for insurance runs. The Seattle bullpen would be tested in the top of the 8th as Andres Muñoz got into some trouble. After two outs to start the inning, Eloy Jimenez singled to right and Gavin Sheets drew a walk to put the tying run on second and go-ahead run on first with one out. Muñoz used his wicked slider four times to strike out AJ Pollock to end the White Sox threat and keep the Mariners in front 1-0.

With a lot of zeroes on the scoreboard, Seattle would finally put the scoreboard operators back to work in the bottom of the 8th. With Reynaldo Lopez pitching, the Mariners had nobody on with two outs. Sam Haggerty would draw a walk and then do what he does best and that is steal a base late to have a runner on second with two outs. Cal Raleigh would crush another long home run and kept his hot streak going with his 23rd bomb of the season to make it 3-0 Mariners. It felt like a playoff caliber home run and felt as if it was a dagger to the White Sox.

A dagger is exactly what it would be as Paul Sewald took the mound in the top of the 9th. Adam Engel went down looking on a 2-2 fastball for the first out. Yasmani Grandal ran the count full, but Sewald would sit him down swinging on a 93-mph fastball for the second out. The young Romy Gonzalez would be Chicago’s last hope and he would hit a fly ball to J-Rod in center to finish off the 3-0 win for Seattle.

The Mariners (77-59) bounced back from the Labor Day loss but Tampa Bay would win to keep the two teams tied for the top Wild Card in the American League. Toronto lost to Baltimore in a big series after sweeping the doubleheader. Seattle and Tampa Bay are 1.5 games ahead of Toronto while Baltimore trails the Blue Jays by 3.5 games. Chicago (68-68) is still in the race for the AL Central but are three games back of Cleveland. The rubber game of the three-game set takes place Wednesday at 1:10p. Luis Castillo (6-5, 2.71 ERA) will look to earn the Mariners their fourth straight series win against Michael Kopech (4-9, 3.58 ERA) who will make his return from an IL stint due to a knee strain.

Matt’s Takeaway

The emotion this team showed on Wednesday night was incredible. Logan Gilbert is as stoic as they come and even he was fired up after getting out of the jam in the 6th inning. Then, the dugout erupted when Cal Raleigh launched the two-run home run to put the game away. Teams feed off of crowds and the T-Mobile Park crowd has been electric for months now. Everyone can see the finish line and the end of the drought. Everyone is doing their part and this city is thriving as a baseball city.

Notable Performences

White Sox

• Johnny Cueto (L, 7-7)- 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO
• Yoan Moncada- 2-4
• Eloy Jimenez- 2-4

Mariners

• Logan Gilbert (W, 12-5)- 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO
• Cal Raleigh- 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB
• Matt Brash, Andres Muñoz, Paul Sewald- 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO

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