Seattle Mariners continue to panic in paradise, lose second game to Tampa Bay

Seattle’s seems scared of success on their road trip to the tropics.

Typical of me to go and ruin the party

Everybody says they love me, but I’m still brokenhearted

They call me Polly Pessimism, I’m a macabre Barbie

The Mariners had a chance to go to Florida on this road trip and make a vacation out of it. Enjoy paradise from their position atop the American League West, and make the most of it. They started the road trip dropping two of three to the Guardians, but could have made up for it against the sub .500 teams of the Marlins and the Rays. Then, they dropped two of three against the Marlins. Today, the panic attacks in paradise continued, and with today’s second loss in a row to the Rays the best they can do is win one of three if they can bounce back tomorrow.

Before the Mariners could even dream of mai tais or piña coladas, the Rays kicked over the bar, in full attack mode. The very first pitch of the game thrown by Luis Castillo, an inside sinker, was obliterated by Yandy Díaz to the left field stands for a home run, almost going foul, but towering over the foul poul and staying fair. Castillo would get out of the inning 1-2-3 after that, with two strikeouts, but fell back into trouble again in the second right away. Richie Palacios only needed one pitch, a middle-middle sinker, and he was on second base with a double. Jose Siri needed three pitches, and he sent the 2-0 fastball just outside of the zone into right with a line drive, scoring Palacios from second, and the Rays had an early 2-0 lead.

My [fan base] wants to love me, but I won’t let them

I’ve been predisposed to trauma since [2011]

So I wrote a couple [box scores] to let out some aggression

I hate that I’m so

Things did look up for the Mariners after the second inning, for a while. They could almost taste the coconut. Castillo was not at his sharpest, falling behind into several full counts, and allowing a couple walks, but making it through the bottom of the fifth without allowing any more damage. Before he escaped the fifth by getting old friend José Caballero to strike out to end the inning, he was buoyed by some of the little offense the Mariners managed tonight.

Seattle only managed four hits in five innings against opposing starter Zack Littell, and two in the fifth became the only two earned runs he allowed. Jorge Polanco reached by hitting a ball about as softly as you can for an infield hit, 54.6 mph off of the bat at a -79 degree launch angle, and Ty France crushed a hanging slider for a home run that would be out out in any park, tying the game.

The Mariners went into the sixth inning with a tied ballgame, but things quickly became mismatched. After Julio, Raleigh, and Raley went down easy at the top of the inning, Castillo started the bottom of the sixth with a pop out to Isaac Paredes. Followed by a walk to Richie Palacios. Then a walk to Jose Siri. And when Scott came and grabbed La Piedra, who ended his night on 103 pitches, those runners were still on to be charged against him as earned runs when Big Mike Baumann immediately allowed Taylor Walls to triple past a diving Dominic Canzone, scoring both runners. True to their plan, Walls did it on the first pitch, a middle fastball.

Castillo ended his night with four earned runs on five hits, four strikeouts and four walks. Big Mike Baumann was not done allowing the Big Inning for the Rays, and 4-2 would quickly become 6-2 when he gave up a bomb to next batter Ben Rortvedt. Baumann collected a ground out, Bazardo came in and collected another, and the Mariners escaped the sixth inning but now down four.

Self-deprecating

More comfortable in bad situations

Sucker for a little devastation

And this always happens

Mitch Garver eased the sting just a tiny bit, hitting a solo home run, his tenth of the year, but that only brought the Mariners halfway to the Rays score, and they wouldn’t add any more on the rest of the night.

The Rays weren’t done, and the bullpen woes of the 2024 Mariners continued. Bazardo let Tampa manufacture another three runs in the seventh. A leadoff walk to Josh Lowe. A stolen base by Josh Lowe. Bazardo reached two outs by striking out Paredes and Caballero, but then let Palacios single in Lowe. Then walked Jose Siri. Bazardo gave way to Cody Bolton, and after a Taylor Walls single to load them up, a Rortvedt single allowed both inherited runners to score, giving Bazardo three earned runs on the night and putting the Rays up 9-3. Cody Bolton didn’t want to be left out of the earned runs party, but unfortunately since Caballero reached on an error before Isaac Paredes hit a home run to score him, Bolton was scored as having given up none earned on the night. With that, the Rays reached their final score of 11-3.

Ty France had the only multi-hit night, going 2-for-3, and the team only managed six total hits across all nine innings. JP Crawford worked the only walk for Seattle, and as a team they struck out eleven times. The starting pitching continues to be good, but not good enough, on a day when the hitting continues to freeze in panic and the bullpen melts down past the top leverage guys. They still have first place in their division, but if the team keeps playing like this, the sun will set on that paradise soon enough.

Panic attacks in paradise

Hyperventilating under candy skies

Tellin’ myself that this is fine

I’m havin’ the best time of my life