3/31/25
(Seattle, WA) With teams moving into the routine of the 162-game baseball season after the bells and whistles that come with the opening weekend of the season, the Seattle Mariners would move into a new three-game series with the Detroit Tigers. A thorn in the side of the Mariners last season, the Tigers went on a big run to surprise the baseball world and make the playoffs and even took down the Houston Astros to advance to the ALDS. Detroit added to their rotation and got some pieces that were injured late last season so this Tigers team was different but still a big problem for Seattle.
Tigers 9, Mariners 6 (Game 1, March 31st)
Taking the mound for the first time this season and things could not have gone worse for Emerson Hancock. Taking George Kirby’s spot in the rotation while Kirby works his way back from a shoulder issue, Hancock was either missing the zone by a lot or throwing meatballs to the Tigers lineup. After leadoff double from Justyn-Henry Malloy, Kerry Carpenter drove in the game’s first run with an RBI single. Hancock would pick off Carpenter for the first out and then the wheels fell off.
Riley Greene showcased impressive power with an opposite field home run for his first of the season to make it 2-0 three batters into the game. A single by Spencer Torkelson was followed by a Colt Keith walk to put two men on with still only one out. After getting Zach McKinstry to fly out, Hancock could not complete the inning. The young righty gave up back-to-back singles to Dillon Dingler and Trey Sweeney before Javier Báez doubled in two more runs. Hancock’s day was done after just 2/3 of an inning and six runs allowed. Tayler Saucedo would get the final out with no more damage being done but Detroit had a 6-0 lead before the Mariners ever stepped to the plate.
Seattle went quickly and quietly in the 1st but found their way on the board in the bottom of the 2nd. Randy Arozarena entered 2025 coming off his worst season in the pros and in the first week of the season has gotten back to the fearsome hitter he has been in the 2020s. Leading off the inning, Arozarena crushed a fastball right down the middle out to left field for his second home run of the season. While there was still a long way to go, the M’s were on the board trailing 6-1.
Collin Snider came in to pitch the 3rd and a double play helped him get two outs with the bases empty. After walking Justyn-Henry Malloy, Snider couldn’t hang up a zero as Kerry Carpenter sent a double to center to drive in Malloy with his first double of the season. Just like that it was a six-run deficit once again for Seattle.
The bottom of the 3rd began with quite the threat for the Mariners as they tried to get back in the game. J.P. Crawford began the inning with a walk before Victor Robles doubled for the second time this season. With runners on second and third with nobody out, Julio Rodríguez got robbed of a base hit by Javy Báez but did drive in a run to make it 7-2. Another great defensive play for Detroit saw Spencer Torkelson rob Cal Raleigh of an RBI knock and despite making an error on the double play attempt, the Tigers got out of the inning with still a 7-2 lead.
It just felt like the Tigers were doing everything they could to keep the M’s a safe distance away. In the top of the 4th, Dillon Dingler came through with a two-out RBI single to make it 8-2 before Luke Raley responded. The Mariner first baseman sent his first home run of the season out to right to make it a five-run game at 8-3 once again.
Carlos Vargas was the star out of the bullpen for the Mariners as he found a way to slow down Detroit’s lineup. That gave the M’s a chance to build some momentum and a J-Rod triple to begin the bottom of the 5th gave T-Mobile Park some life. Brenan Hanifee would strikeout the next two batters and it looked as though the Mariners would squander the scoring opportunity. Jorge Polanco’s revenge tour continued however and he roped a base hit to right field to drive in Julio, making it 8-4.
Both offenses quieted down from there. Detroit would add a run in the 7th on a two-out infield single by Justyn-Henry Malloy to make it 9-4 going into the 9th. With Julio on first and one out, Cal Raleigh finally checked off a first of the year box as he sent his first home run of 2025 out to left field. The two-run blast made it 9-6 with one out in the bottom of the 9th. However, that would be as close as the Mariners could get. Brant Hurter retired the next two batters he faced to put an end to this one. Detroit mashed 18 base hits and it was too much for Seattle to overcome as the Tigers took the opener 9-6.
Notable Performances
Tigers
- Dillon Dingler- 3-5, 2 RBI, 2 R
- Justyn-Henry Malloy- 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
- Jackson Jobe (ND)- 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO
Mariners
- Randy Arozarena- 2-4, 2B, HR, RBI, R, BB
- Julio Rodríguez- 2-5, 3B, RBI, 2 R
- Emerson Hancock (L, 0-1)- 0.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
What’s Next
A tough start to the series actually gave the Seattle Mariners some positives to move forward in the next two games. While the M’s do have to win the next two games of the series to take home the series victory, game two will favor Seattle as Logan Gilbert makes his second start of the season. The Mariner ace allowed just one run on two hits in seven innings on Opening Day while not allowing a walk and striking out eight. Detroit will counter with Casey Mize who makes his season debut. He has a career 4.36 ERA but injuries have really prevented him from getting through a full season in the rotation. Mize has faced the Mariners twice and allowed four runs in 13 2/3 innings against Seattle. First pitch is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:40pm.
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