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Seattle Mariners

Mariners Log: Lifeless M’s roughed up late by Phillies

Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais, left, and hitting coach Edgar Martinez watch from the dugout rail during the fifth inning of the team's 8-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on June 27, 2017, in Seattle. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

MARINERS OFFENSE COOLS AGAINST PHILS’ NOLA

What happened: Aaron Nola struck out nine over seven innings and the Philadelphia Phillies poured in on late to rough up the Seattle Mariners 8-2 on Tuesday at Safeco Field.

Nola allowed two runs on five hits and four walks. The Mariners went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and left five runners on.

The Phillies Maikel Franco went 2 for 4 with a double and a home run (10) and scored twice. Freddie Galvis went 3 for 5 with two RBIs and Aaron Altherr added a homer in a four-run ninth inning off closer Edwin Diaz.

Diaz allowed four runs – all unearned – on three hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Mariners starter James Paxton went hitless through three, then found trouble. All told, he allowed three runs on four hits and three walks with nine strikeouts.

Line Outs

  • Starter James Paxton cruised through the first three innings, allowing no hits and one walk, with six strikeouts. He needed just 43 pitches to get through three innings, throwing 30 strikes.
  • Mariners broke out on top in the third. With one down, Jarrod Dyson earned a walk. Mike Zunino popped out, but Jean Segura followed with a big fly to center for his fifth home run of the season.
  • Paxton gave up his first hit in the fifth and immediately found trouble. Maikel Franco led off with a double off the wall in right, then went to third on a swinging bunt by Cameron Perkins. After several throws over to first, Cameron Rupp drew a base on balls which prompted a conference on the mound.
  • Phillies 2B Ty Kelly’s fly to medium deep center brought home Franco and Perkins tagged and went to third. Leadoff hitter Daniel Nava lined to right for the second out, but Mitch Haniger’s throw was up the line, allowing Perkins to score, and skipped away from Zunino, allowing Rupp to move up a base.
  • Freddie Galvis singled through the hole on the right side, and this time Haniger’s throw was on the mark, beating Rupp by several steps. Rupp’s awkward slide was right into Zunino’s tag for the third out.
  • With one down in the sixth, Danny Valencia reached on a ball off Franco’s glove at third, ending up at second. With two down, Zunino drew a walk but Segura tapped out to first to end the threat.
  • OF Ben Gamel led the sixth off with a walk and went to third on Robinson Cano’s single to right. But Nelson Cruz struck out on a half swing and Kyle Seager grounded into a routine 4-5-3 double play.
  • Franco crushed a 1-0 cutter into the Phillies bullpen in left-center to lead off the seventh.
  • M’s threatened again in the bottom half. One out singles by Valencia and Dyson set it up, but Zunino struck out on a ball up in his eyes and Segura grounded to third to end a potential rally.
  • The Phillies tacked on runs in the eighth and ninth innings off Tony Zych and Edwin Diaz to remove any suspense.

The Takeaway

If the Mariners miss out on a wildcard spot by a game or two, they’ll look back at this truncated series and kick themselves. The Phillies are one of the worst teams in baseball with the absolute worst road record and are as far away from home as they can get and the M’s came out lifeless in this one and didn’t find it during the game.

Tweet of the Day

Players of the Game

Hero: Jean Segura. 1 for 3, two-run homer. Only sign of life from the offense.

Goat: Edwin Diaz. Removed any suspense about a ninth-inning comeback.

Next Game

Philadelphia Phillies (25-51) at Seattle Mariners (39-40) on Wednesday at 12:40 p.m. at Safeco Field. RHP Felix Hernandez (3-2, 4.68) hosts RHP Mark Leiter (1-0, 3.60).

What others are saying (and writing)

Dave Niehaus has been gone for almost seven years. But he’s not forgotten. The Times’ Larry Stone loves the new Niehaus biography. … The surge is over. The M’s have lost three consecutive games to drop a game under .500. The game with Philadelphia really fell apart in the ninth against Diaz. …Though two players returned Tuesday night, Drew Smyly suffered a setback and his comeback from arm problems has been paused. … Tyler O’Neill is warming up. … This guy would look good in a M’s uniform no matter what position he’s playing.