TALKING POINTS
Another day, another hero for the Seattle Mariners.
Chris Iannetta blasted a walk-off homer, giving the Mariners a 6-5, 11-inning victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Safeco Field. The victory completed a three-game sweep for the Mariners.
Whether it’s been Robinson Cano, Dae-Ho Lee or whomever, the Mariners have been receiving late-game heroics from any number of sources during their recent run, which has seen Seattle win 16 of its past 21 games. Wednesday it was Iannetta’s turn as the veteran catcher took a 3-2 fastball from Steve Geltz on the outer half of the plate and absolutely destroyed it into the seats in center field, ending the four-hour contest.
Other notes and observations:
– Tampa Bay starter Chris Archer was all over the place in the first inning. He couldn’t get his fastball across for strikes, and he couldn’t get the M’s (minus Cano) to bite on the slider in the dirt. Archer walked three in the inning, including a bases-loaded free pass to Kyle Seager, and also allowed a two-run single to Seth Smith. Archer, Tampa Bay’s ace, came into the game having seemingly recovered from a slow start, and he settled down after the first. But those struggles in the first staked Seattle to a great start.
– Meanwhile, Seattle starter Taijuan Walker had the opposite start. Walker cruised through the first five innings, allowing just two baserunners and striking out eight. But in the sixth his control slipped as he walked three — though the Rays batters deserve credit for fighting off some tough two-strike pitches before drawing walks — and also gave up a grand slam to Corey Dickerson that turned what had been a comfortable 4-0 lead into a tie score.
– One of the consequences of winning is that a team’s closer gets plenty of work. Mariners closer Steve Cishek worked the previous two games and five of the previous seven, so it was Nick Vincent who was summoned in the ninth with Seattle leading 5-4. Vincent has been excellent this season, but he couldn’t close the door as he allowed a game-tying solo homer to Kevin Kiermaier.
– That said, Seattle’s bullpen put in a decent day’s work, as Kiermaier’s homer was the only run it allowed in 5.1 innings pitched. The recently-promoted Steve Johnson earned the win with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, earning his first victory since he was playing for Baltimore in 2013. Johnson wasn’t perfect, and his 64 mph curveball isn’t a thing of beauty, but he worked himself out of jams.
– It was a forgettable afternoon for Cascade High School graduate Steven Souza Jr. The Rays right fielder finished the game 0-for-5 and struck out three times.
– The Mariners have Thursday off, and it comes at a necessary time. Seattle used eight relievers over the past two games, and the Mariners’ last day off was in April, so Mariners manager Scott Servais said the team was “in need of a day off.”
TURNING POINT
Honestly, where the game turned was in the top of the sixth. At that point Walker was cruising, seemed on his way to pitching a shutout, and the Mariners were going to win going away. That quick burst from the Rays turned it into a nail biter. However, it didn’t affect the outcome.
BOX SCORE
Mariners 6, Rays 5 (11 innings)
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