Mariners again struggle on defense as things get ridiculous in 15-1 loss to Rangers

SEATTLE – There comes a time when you can’t simply pitch around the mistakes made in the field or slug your way out of trouble.

Rolling out a defense each night that is uncertain to make the most routine plays is a capricious way to play baseball.

But this is the path the Mariners have chosen to go with for at least the start of the 2019 season and they, and specifically starter Mike Leake, suffered through those consequences in a 15-1 drubbing by the Rangers that turned absurd in the later innings Saturday night.

The errors were committed early. The folly came in the ninth inning when manager Scott Servais brought Dylan Moore in from second base to pitch and inserted catcher Omar Narvaez at second base. Servais didn’t want to use another reliever and didn’t want Dee Gordon’s night off interrupted. Moore gave up five runs on four hits with two walks while displaying a fastball that topped out at 67 mph.

The errors were the reason Moore was pitching.

The Mariners committed three errors in the first three innings, two of which were almost immediately followed by home runs, and added to their major-league lead in errors committed, which stands at 33. It’s a dubious honor, to be sure.

They’ve worked to address the defensive limitations, taking daily extra pregrame work before their regular pregame work. And there have been improvements. Still, given the personnel and how it’s being employed – this will always be a possibility. That’s difficult for a pitching staff that pitches to contact and doesn’t strike out a ton of hitters. The routine doesn’t feel like it.

Leake had to wear all three errors on a night when he needed his defense to help him.

The issues started in the first. After a regrettable walk to Shin-Soo Choo to start the game. Leake got Rougned Odor to hit a ground ball that could have been a double play. But shortstop Tim Beckham ranged to his left and misplayed it. The ball bounced off his glove and behind him. No outs were made on the play.

The next batter, Elvis Andrus, hammered a 1-0 sinker into the mosh pit of fans known as The ’Pen for a three-run homer. Texas had a quick 3-0 lead.

The Mariners took a chunk out of it in the bottom of the inning when Domingo Santana crushed a solo homer into the upper deck of left field for his sixth of the season. It also gave him 30 RBIs, most in the American League.

But another mistake in the second following Logan Forsythe’s one-out double essentially put the game out of reach early. Light-hitting catcher Jeff Mathis lofted a fly ball to center field for what should have been the second out of the inning. Mallex Smith, who has admittedly been in a funk at the plate and only marginally better in the field, dropped a routine fly ball in center field.

Leake came back to get to Choo to pop up for the second out of the inning. But that extra batter in the frame got him. Odor ambushed a first-pitch cutter that stayed over the middle of the plate, lashing a ball over the wall in right field for a three-run homer. Instead of being out of the inning, Leake and the Mariners trailed 6-1.

The lead went to 8-1 in the third on an RBI double from Santana and a run-scoring single from Forsythe. Beckham committed his second error by trying to make an ill-advised throw to first base after making a difficult stop. His wayward throw to first resulted in extra bases but no runs scored. Leake worked around the trouble to allow no further damage.

He allowed another run in the fifth as the Mariners tried to maximize his innings output in a game that was lost. Leake worked five innings, allowing nine runs (five earned) with a walk and four strikeouts to fall to 2-3.

Meanwhile, the Mariners’ offense was shut down by Rangers “ace” Mike Minor. The veteran lefty made the one mistake to Santana in the first. Other than that, he carved up Seattle hitters over the next six innings. He finished with seven innings pitched, allowing the one run three hits with a walk, a hit batter and a career-high 13 strikeouts, tying a Rangers’ record for a lefty starter.

Gonzaga’s Jones, Perkins throw out first pitch

It was a Gonzaga reunion at T-Mobile Park, as former Gonzaga basketball players Jeremy Jones and Josh Perkins threw out the ceremonial first pitches.

The duo threw to Mariners starting pitcher – and former Bulldogs standout – Marco Gonzales.