Orioles spoil King Felix weekend, Mariners win streak. Seattle still in the race
Dominic Canzone flipped his bat, watched his game-tying homer fly 402 feet, and began his slow trot home. The crowd knew – it was a no-doubt blast, one that crashed into the windows of the Hit it Here Cafe and sent over 40,000 into a frenzy.
It was a do-or-die moment. Down a run, the Mariners were down to their final out in the ninth inning.
Baltimore outfielder Cedric Mullins, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter, had robbed Ty France of a game-tying homer in the at-bat prior. He wouldn’t rob another.
Canzone touched home and, suddenly, this rubber match between the two best teams in the AL (since July 1) was headed to extras. Seattle’s dugout, led by Julio Rodriguez, sprang to their feet in joy. So did fans.
“It was one of those hollow feelings (on the bat) you don’t feel too often,” Canzone said. “When it’s that hollow, you kind of know you got it.”
Yet, for the second-straight day, Baltimore prevailed and stole the energy. Mullins was Sunday’s hero, who robbed a homer and then blasted the actual game-winner to right field in the 10th. His two-run shot off Seattle’s Trent Thornton gave the Orioles an eventual 5-3 win.
“I wish they would’ve left Cedric Mullins on the bench today,” Servais said.
A controversial ninth inning handed Baltimore the go-ahead run before Canzone tied it. Manager Scott Servais was ejected for a fiery exchange with third base umpire Adam Beck, who called a balk on Seattle closer Andres Munoz. It moved two runners into scoring position, one of which scored on an ensuing RBI fielder’s choice by Adley Rutschman.
“To call that in that situation, you’re looking to make an impact in the game,” Servais said of Beck. “He made an impact in the game, the umpire did, for sure.
“I’m 150 feet away, never said a word. I made one hand gesture, got thrown out of the game. That’s ridiculous.”
A weekend that began celebrating and commemorating the brilliant career of Felix Hernandez, ringing with cheers and chants for the King as he was inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame, ended with jeers and boos from over 44,000.
Tied for the final AL wild card allocation a day earlier, Seattle lost consecutive games over the weekend (and the Blue Jays won Sunday) to put the Mariners 1.5 games behind the pace.
Bryce Miller was excellent in Sunday’s meeting between the two best teams in the American League since July 1. Another start, another group of bats frustrated by the Seattle rookie’s high-riding fastball. Miller lasted 5 ⅔, inducing consistently weak pop-ups and little hard contact.
The fastball was again his feature pitch, hovering around 96 mph. All of his pitches flashed above-average velocity.
“Can’t take a pitch off, even if it’s the third inning or fourth inning,” Miller said. “Playing these good teams, it’s gonna be tight all game. The last two nights… just (haven’t) gone our way.”
Miller kept the Mariners in the game but so did Orioles starter Kyle Bradish, who went six strong (two earned runs). A 2-2 tie carried into the seventh.
Seattle and Baltimore split the series’ first two contests. The Mariners pounced for nine runs Friday, part of a 9-2 rout in the opener behind a stellar outing by Luis Castillo (six innings, one run, eight strikeouts).
George Kirby followed with the Mariners’ best performance from the mound all week in Saturday’s middle game, in front of a sold-out crowd moments after the club inducted Felix Hernandez into the Mariners Hall of Fame.
Kirby was flat-out incredible, tossing a complete-game shutout over nine scoreless. The Mariners, meanwhile, couldn’t muster a run and lost to the Orioles in extras, 1-0, snapping an eight-game win streak.
A farfetched, but somehow true Mariners pitching stat: In their last seven combined starts, Seattle starters own a 1.01 ERA across 44 ⅔ combined innings, walking seven and whiffing 47.
HANCOCK SOLID IN DEBUT – THEN CAL WINS IT
Unwavering through five innings against one of baseball’s most-feared lineups, Emerson Hancock impressed in his major-league debut – a two-hit, one-run performance over the Padres at T-Mobile Park.
Seattle’s top pitching prospect went toe-to-toe with San Diego’s superstar lineup, featuring the likes of Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and Fernando Tatis Jr. Hancock, 24, surrendered a first-inning run via leadoff walk, but soon found a rhythm and navigated traffic for a solid debut. Servais was impressed by his mid-90s fastball – one that built a foundation for secondary sliders and changeups.
His first career strikeout was of Tatis Jr., who offered only a weak wave at a deceiving, inside two-seamer.
A crowd near 40,000 anticipated his debut – and Hancock felt it.
“As soon as I walked out of the dugout, you could feel it,” he said. “Credit to them. They’ve shown me nothing but support and love. It just makes you want to go out and get a win for them.”
When San Diego’s Luis Campusano ripped a leadoff, fifth-inning single in a 1-1 game, Hancock instantly responded to whiff Trent Grisham and Ha-Seong Kim – both swinging. Tatis Jr. grounded into a fielder’s choice to wrap Hancock’s impressive first outing, one Servais described as “composed” and “comfortable.”
“I think that’s what stood out to me,” Servais said. “I thought he settled in really well. I thought Emerson had a heck of a night.”
Hancock kept the Mariners and Padres tied through the fifth.
Then, in the eighth, Cal Raleigh won it.
Still locked in a late tie, Seattle’s catcher lifted a low slider 450 feet into the Seattle night. The two-run blast to right field began a late rally and, eventually, a seventh straight Mariners win.
“It didn’t look like that ball was ever going to land,” Hancock said.
WOO TO IL, SIX-MAN ROTATION APPEARS IMMINENT
Seattle placed rookie arm Bryan Woo on the 15-day injured list (right forearm inflammation) on Tuesday, paving the way for Wednesday’s debut of top-pitching-prospect Emerson Hancock.
Woo’s move to the IL is out of caution. He felt soreness in this throwing arm after his Aug. 3 start at Los Angeles, but wanted to remain in the rotation.
“He didn’t feel 100 percent, and thought it was best to (take) it out of his hands,” Servais said. “I think if he was five, six years deeper in his career, you listen to players a bit more. … We’ll give him a chance to catch his breath.”
General manager Justin Hollander told reporters there are “no real concerns” with Woo, a valuable piece to the rotation amid a torrid, late-season rally.
His return effectively deploys a six-man rotation later this month – assuming health – with Hancock added to the fold. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto confirmed Seattle’s plan to roll out six starters on his weekly radio show, given recent success from a myriad of rookie arms – Woo, Hancock, and Bryce Miller included.
Other moves in Tuesday’s announcement: The club claimed Cubs right-hander Ryan Jensen off waivers, recalled right-hander Ryder Ryan from Triple-A Tacoma, and designated reliever Matt Festa for assignment.
Ryan, 28, made his major-league debut at T-Mobile Park on Friday night against the Orioles, whiffing two and walking one in a scoreless inning of relief.
SHORT HOPS
– Felix Hernandez became the 11th inductee into the Mariners Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony at T-Mobile Park on Saturday. The King addressed a sold-out crowd before Ken Griffey Jr. dressed him in a Hall-of-Fame jacket, making Hernandez, officially, Mariners royalty.
“You guys took a chance on me in 2002. Playing in Venezuela, just 16 years old,” Hernandez said. “And you stood by my side ever since.
“You are the greatest fans in the world. Thank you for all of the support. I love you guys.”
– Marco Gonzales will undergo season-ending surgery to decompress the nerve in his left forearm, a development in the southpaw’s recovery from a strain suffered in his last start on May 28.
Dr. Steve Shin will perform the “clean-up” procedure on Aug. 22, who recommended the decision with 2024 in mind. The recovery time is “a few months,” great news for the potential of a spring-training return.
“This gives me the best chance to move forward, get past this,” Gonzales said Sunday.
– An infield collision with Eugenio Suarez placed shortstop J.P. Crawford on the 7-day concussion list, a brief hiatus from Seattle’s most-consistent hitter. Servais remains confident in Crawford’s ability to return Thursday in Kansas City, his earliest possible appearance.
– On Tuesday night, Logan Gilbert became the first right-handed pitcher in MLB history to strike out Padres outfielder Juan Soto three times in one game.
– Cal Raleigh has hit 13 home runs against AL East teams in 2023, tied with Angels megastar Shohei Ohtani (AL West and Central, 13) for most against any division in baseball this season.
ON DECK
A lengthy, three-city road trip begins Monday with stops in Kansas City, Houston, and Chicago (AL).
Logan Gilbert is the scheduled starter for Monday night’s opener at Kauffman Stadium, a 5:10 p.m. first pitch.
This story was originally published August 13, 2023 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Orioles spoil King Felix weekend, Mariners win streak. Seattle still in the race."
