Mariners’ win streak ends at four after getting blanked by Giants
SAN FRANCISCO – It all felt so familiar because, well, it has been common theme this season: Pitching good enough to win, offensive production just bad enough to make fans want to break something in anger.
The Mariners’ run of consecutive victories ended at four after they went from shutting out the Giants to being shut out a day later in a 2-0 loss Wednesday evening at Oracle Park.
San Francisco starter Alex Cobb set the tone over the first six innings while relievers Taylor and Tyler Rogers and closer Camilo Doval continued to keep the Mariners without a run. It was the fifth time this season that the Mariners were shut out.
The Mariners fell back to a game under .500 at 42-43. The Mariners flew out late Wednesday evening and were expected to arrive in Houston around 5 a.m. on Thursday and will open a four-game series vs. the Astros at Minute Maid Park to close out the first “half” of the season.
Working ahead by racking up first-pitch strikes in 16 of the 23 batters he faced and reaching a three-ball count just five times, Cobb pitched six scoreless innings, allowing six hits with no walks and seven strikeouts. Still, the Mariners had a multitude of chances to push runs across against Cobb. They had nine plate appearances with a runner in scoring in position against Cobb and failed to get a hit, stranding five runners.
The Mariners got a respectable outing from spot starter Tommy Milone. The veteran left-hander had his minor league contract selected from the Triple-A Tacoma before the game to make the start in place of Bryce Miller, who was placed on the injured list a few days ago with a blister on his middle finger.
Making his 148th MLB start and second for Seattle this season, Milone pitched 4⅓ innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with an uncharacteristic four walks and no strikeouts.
He got a bad break in the third inning. After walking No. 9 hitter Brandon Crawford, Wilmer Flores hit a one-out ground ball down the third baseline. The ball struck the third-base bag and bounced away from Jose Caballero for a single that allowed Crawford to race to third base. He scored moments later on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Lamont Wade.
The Giants other run came in the fifth inning. Milone issues a one-out walk to Austin Slater and gave up another single to Flores. Milone appeared to have the first out of the inning when Wade lifted a deep fly ball to center. But Julio Rodriguez made an uncharacteristic mistake, taking his eyes off the ball and dropping it for an error. Slater scored on the play for a 2-0 lead.