Subscribe now
Seattle Mariners

Mariners Log: M’s erase early deficit but lose to Royals in extras

Royals starter Jason Vargas looks away as Nelson Cruz rounds the bases on his home run during the third inning on July 5, 2017, in Seattle. The M’s lost 8-6 in 10 innings. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

MARINERS SWEPT BY SURGING ROYALS

What happened: Salvador Perez hit a two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning and the visiting Kansas City Royals completed a three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners, 9-6, in 10 innings at Safeco Field on Wednesday.

The Mariners (41-45) fell behind 4-0 after the first half of the first inning, but responded with six runs in the first three innings to establish a 6-4 lead. The Royals tied it in the fifth against starter Ariel Miranda on a two-run homer by Lorenzo Cain, his 11th of the year.

Miranda had one of his roughest outings of the season. He allowed six runs on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

Royals’ starter Jason Vargas was equally as spotty. He gave up six runs on eight hits and a walk with four Ks. He had allowed more than four runs just once in 16 starts this year.

Mike Zunino and Jean Sugura homered in the second inning and Nelson Cruz had a two-run shot in the third.

Line Outs

  • The Royals came out hacking against Miranda. Whit Merrifield singled on the third pitch then with one out, Lorenzo Cain drew a walk. Eric Hosmer followed with a double to the right-center gap to plate both. With two down, Mike Moustakas homered for the third straight game, taking a Miranda slider just over the fence in right center.
  • The M’s halved the deficit in the bottom half. Jean Segura led off with a single and with one down, went to second on Robinson Cano’s single. Segura stole third, then scored on Nelson Cruz’ groundout. Ben Gamel singled to score Cano from second.
  • In the second, Mike Zunino led off with a no-doubt homer to left, his 12th of the season. Jarrod Dyson walked and stole second – his 20th of the campaign – and went to third on a wild pitch. Segura followed with a fly to center that just kept carrying, over the fence, for his sixth and the M’s had erased the deficit and taken the lead.
  • Cruz’ homerless streak ended at 24 games in the third inning as he crushed his 15th of the year to lead off the frame and make it 6-4.
  • The Royals tied it up in the fifth. Alex Gordon led off with a walk and with two down, Lorezno Cain ripped a full-count fastball to the stands in left-center for his 11th homer of the season.
  • With one down in the M’s half of the fifth, Cruz clubbed a ball off the wall in left. Gordon’s throw to second was on the mark and Merrifield applied a diving tag for the out. Replays looked like Cruz might have avoided the tag, but the umps did not reverse their call. The M’s are statistically one of the worst running teams in all of baseball.
  • It stayed 6-6 until the 10th. With James Pazos pitching, Cain reached on a fielding error by Cano and was rubbed out on a terrific ranging play and scoop by Taylor Motter to Cano covering at second. It didn’t matter. With Eric Hosmer at first, Salvador Perez launched one that cleared the right-field wall be just a couple of rows to put the Royals back up 8-6.

The Takeaway

The Mariners play exactly seven games in Seattle the entire month of August. This stretch of poor play at home is going to kill any chance at a wildcard spot, if it hasn’t already.

Tweet of the Day

Players of the Game

Hero: Nelson Cruz. Yeah, he got throw out (again). But he went 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBis. Signs of life.

Goat: Danny Valencia. 0 for 4 in the two hole. No bueno.

Next Game

Oakland Athletics (37-48) vs Seattle Mariners (41-45) on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. at Safeco Field. Sam Gaviglio (3-3, 3.48) hosts Paul Blackburn (0-0, 0.00).

What others are saying (and writing)

Scott Servais was blunt after the loss. The M’s are at a critical point of their season. The math isn’t in their favor and unless they get going soon, they could be sellers at the end of the month. Unlike Kansas City, which is on a roll after the road sweep. … Baserunning isn’t this Mariners team’s strength. … Kyle Seager isn’t feeling it right now.