9/17/24
(Seattle, WA) Only 12 games remained for the Seattle Mariners to fight their way into the postseason for the second time in three years. Needing to erase four games to win the AL West or two games to grab a Wild Card spot, each and every game from here on out carries a lot more weight for the M’s. Things would not be easy especially with the best team in the American League coming to town in the New York Yankees. With a very dangerous lineup, the Yankees possessed more of a challenge to the Mariners than any other team in baseball. Seattle would need to carry over the momentum their lineup built against Texas and their pitching to be at the top of their game to take two of three against the Bronx Bombers.
Yankees 11, Mariners 2 (Game 1, September 17th)
Before you could blink, Seattle and Bryan Woo were already in trouble. A single by Gleyber Torres and a double for Juan Soto put runners at second and third immediately for Aaron Judge. Judge did what Judge does and smoked a double to left for his 35 two-bagger of the season. Torres and Soto both scored easily and three batters into the game and the Yankees had a 2-0 lead.
The inning that the entire PNW is talking about today is the bottom of the 1st. Victor Robles was hit on the hand to begin the inning. He was joined on-base by Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena who both drew one-out walks to load the bases and give the M’s a chance to counter. After Luke Raley popped out for a big second out, Justin Turner stepped to the plate and put himself in a great 3-0 count. That was when things really fell apart. As Luis Gil took his time around the mound, struggling to throw strikes, Robles broke for the plate from third in an attempt to steal home. Gil turned and fired a strike to Austin Wells at the plate to get Robles and end the inning. Everyone, including Turner stood around baffled at a huge mistake that killed any momentum Seattle clung to early.
Woo started the top of the 2nd strong with back-to-back strikeouts of Anthony Rizzo and Oswaldo Cabrera. Then he fell apart as the Yankees started to hit around the Mariners breakout star. Alex Verdugo and Gleyber Torres both singled before Juan Soto loaded the bases with a walk. Once again, Aaron Judge came to the plate with runners on and once again made the M’s pay. Judge singled left to score two more Yankees. In just two innings, Judge had driven in four runs and New York led 4-0.
Seattle got on the board in the bottom of the 2nd on Jorge Polanco’s 15th home run of the season. New York would then flex their own muscle in the top of the 4th. Once again Woo retired the first two batters he faced but still couldn’t handle the top of the Yankee order. Torres reached with his 23rd double of the year to bring Juan Soto to the plate. The 25-year-old drove the first pitch out to left center for his 40th home run of the year. Both of the Yankee stars were shredding Mariner pitching as their lead grew to 6-1.
After Jasson Domínguez hit his first home run of the season to make it 7-1, New York made things even worse and once again they did it with two outs. With a runner on second and the Mariners an out away from escaping the inning, both Soto and Judge drew walks to load the bases. Dan Wilson elected to bring in Jhonathan Díaz and he couldn’t escape the jam. Austin Wells doubled to right and let his teammates run. All three runners scored on the bases clearing double and the game turned into a laugher with New York up 10-1.
Luke Raley would hit his 21st home run of the season in the 8th to make it 10-2 but the Yankees got that run back against Leo Rivas who entered to pitch the final inning to save the Seattle bullpen. All sorts of sloppy play killed the Mariners as the team committed a couple of errors and some big mental errors as well. Finally, Seattle would be put out of their misery as the Yankees officially put an end to the beatdown, defeating the Mariners 11-2.
Notable Performances
Yankees
- Aaron Judge- 2-4, 2B, 4 RBI, R, BB
- Juan Soto- 2-2, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB
- Luis Gil (W, 14-6)- 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO
Mariners
- Jorge Polanco- 1-3, HR, RBI, R
- Julio Rodríguez- 4-5, 2B
- Bryan Woo (L, 8-3)- 4.2 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO
What’s Next
Tuesday could not have gone much worse for the Mariners. Not only were they embarrassed by the Yankees, but Houston got a 4-3 win over San Diego in extras while Minnesota beat Cleveland 4-1 while Detroit knocked off Kansas City again in extras 3-1. Seattle now faces a five-game deficit in the AL West. They also trail Kansas City by 4 1/2 games, Minnesota by 3, and Detroit by a game and a half. Minnesota and Detroit both own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Mariners as well which basically adds another game to those deficits for the M’s.
Looking to get back to their winning ways in game two, the Mariners will send Bryce Miller to the bump as he looks to continue his stretch of great pitching. Since August, Miller has an ERA of just 2.25 with five quality starts over that stretch. In two career starts against the Yankees, Miller has struggled mightily with a 10.97 ERA, allowing 13 runs in 10 2/3 innings. A short-term former Mariner will get the ball for the Yankees when lefty Nestor Cortes takes the hill. Cortes has not had the best 2024 but has mixed him some really great starts over the last couple of months. Cortes went five scoreless innings and only allowed three hits against the Mariners in the Bronx back on May 22nd. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40pm on Wednesday.
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