7/14/23

Tigers 5, Mariners 4

(Seattle, WA) The wonderful game of baseball returned after the All-Star break on Friday night as the Seattle Mariners played their first game in their ballpark since it hosted the 2023 All-Star week festivities. An important stretch for the Mariners to determine how aggressively they would buy or sell at the trade deadline at the end of the month began with game one of a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers. Coming out of the break both teams adjusted their rotations and had their aces on the mound as Luis Castillo battled Eduardo Rodriguez. Seattle’s bats unfortunately looked like they were still on break for most of Friday night and the comeback bid fell short as the M’s dropped their first game of the second half to Detroit, 5-4.

Detroit’s lineup was making Castillo work hard early in the ballgame and the Tigers would also get on the scoreboard early. After recording the first two outs on ten pitches, Castillo fell behind of Spencer Torkelson 2-0 before the young Tiger first baseman muscled a soft line drive just over the glove of Jose Caballero for a base hit. Kerry Carpenter followed by running the count full and then winning the battle as well. Carpenter went down to the bottom of the zone and roped a two-run home run for his ninth home run of the season. Just like that, Detroit had an early 2-0 lead.

Defense helped Detroit early in the game keep the M’s off the scoreboard. In the bottom of the 1st, Julio Rodriguez looked like he was going to pick up where he left off in the Home Run Derby on Monday night. A deep fly ball to center field was brought back as Matt Vierling robber J-Rod of a home run had Detroit fired up early.

That was theme of the night for Seattle. A lot of deep flyouts but nothing to show for them had Seattle rattled for the first four innings of the game and beyond. Luis Castillo’s pitch count was also a big issue due to Tiger batters fouling off so many pitches. In total, Castillo threw 91 pitches in his outing and 28 of them were fouled off. That means over 30% of Castillo’s pitches were fouled off which is an absolutely insane stat.

One pitch that wasn’t fouled off did more damage in the top of the 5th. Akil Baddoo showed how pesky he could be after drawing a walk in his first at bat and did even more damage in his second AB with nobody on and two outs. Baddoo chased a changeup below the zone and golfed it out to right center for his fourth home run of the season, extending the Detroit lead to 3-0.

Seattle would finally breakthrough in the bottom of the 5th. Eugenio Suarez walked to start the inning and Tom Murphy joined him on base after being hit by a pitch. A single for AJ Pollock loaded the bases with nobody out but, after a Jose Caballero popout, Mariner fans started having flashbacks to all the instances where the Mariners couldn’t cash in in the same situation. Dylan Moore put those worries to rest. Moore rocketed one that hit the very top of the wall in left and missed being a grand slam by a couple of inches. It did still score Suarez and Murphy as Moore stood up into second with his first double of the season to make it 3-2. J.P. Crawford was robbed of a base hit on a chopper to second by Nick Maton as Pollock questionable remained on third base in what could be classified as a baserunning error. Julio Rodriguez drew a walk to load the bases with two outs and Ty France coming to the plate. It would be the last at-bat for France of the game as he was punched out looking on a pitch that was in off the plate to end the inning. Home plate umpire Marvin Hudson ejected Ty France which ended the day for the former All-Star.

The bullpen had to take over the game in the 6th inning as Castillo’s day was done and after a scoreless top of the 6th, Seattle would falter in the top of the 7th. With Dylan Moore moved to first base after the France ejection, an error by Moore cost the M’s. Crawford would make a tough play at short, but Moore missed the ball to put Javier Baez on with one out. After Baez stole second, Nick Maton made his mark on the game again and took Ty Adcock out to center field for his seventh homer of the season. These were the first runs given up by Adcock in his young career as Detroit widened their lead to 5-2.

Seattle showed some fight late as they tried to get back into the game. In the bottom of the 8th with Jason Foley on the mound and one out, Julio would reach on a swinging bunt for an infield single. That brought up Jarred Kelenic who came into the game after the France ejection to play left field. Kelenic put together a fantastic at bat and was rewarded for his efforts. Kelenic shot a sinking fastball into left center field. The ball got all the way to the wall and Julio attempted to score all the way from first. Kelenic snuck into third on the throw to plate but Julio was called out at home and was banged up on the play as well. While the training staff checked out Rodriguez, Scott Servais challenged the play at the plate. It was determined that Julio did beat the throw home and was safe on Kelenic’s 23rd double of the year and the score was now 5-3. Seattle could not drive in Kelenic however as both Teoscar Hernandez and Eugenio Suarez went down on strikes to send the game into the 9th.

Matt Festa pitched around a couple of walks in a scoreless top of the 9th which brought the Mariners to the plate for their last chance against closer Alex Lange. Cal Raleigh pinch hit for Tom Murphy and would hit a hard line drive right at right fielder Zach McKinstry for the first out. Mike Ford also entered as pinch hitter for AJ Pollock and he would have more success. Ford pulled a hanging curveball on the outer half of the plate deep into right field and gone for his ninth homer of the season. Just like that it was a one run deficit for Seattle at 5-4.

Kolten Wong grounder out hard to first base pinch hitting for Jose Caballero and the M’s were down to their final out with Dylan Moore coming to the plate. Moore saw nothing but curveballs which was OK with him as he took his two out walk to keep the line moving. J.P. Crawford also saw four curveballs that would not find the zone and walked as well to put the tying run on second and winning run on first with two outs and Julio Rodriguez coming to the plate. It was not meant to be for the M’s as Julio took a hanging curve for strike three to put a damper on Firework night at T-Mobile Park as the comeback bid fell short and Detroit took the opener 5-4.

A loss to start the second half and an important stretch of games is not what the Seattle Mariners (45-45) needed but they still have a chance to take the series. Another All-Star for Seattle will get the ball for Seattle on Saturday at 6:40pm as George Kirby makes his first start of the second half. Kirby (8-7, 3.09 ERA) ended the first half on a high note with a strong outing in Houston before a bumpy inning in his All-Star Game debut. He will take on Detroit’s lone All-Star in Michael Lorenzen. Lorenzen (3-6, 4.03 ERA) is a popular name in trade discussions right now and will try to bolster his trade stock in what could be his final start as a Tiger.

Notable Performances

Tigers

• Kerry Carpenter- 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, R
• Nick Maton- 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB
• Eduardo Rodriguez (W, 5-5)- 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO

Mariners

• Dylan Moore- 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB
• Mike Ford- 1-1, HR, RBI, R
• Luis Castillo (L, 6-7)- 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO

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