SODO MOJO
FanSided

Mariners Game Notes: M’s Look to Take Rubber Match vs. Toronto

By Brian Helberg

facebooktwitterreddit

The Seattle Mariners (45-53) will host the Toronto Blue Jays (50-49) and their fans in the rubber match of their 3-game series Sunday afternoon at Safeco Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 pm from the corner of Edgar & Dave. Today’s pitching matchup is a contrast of styles and generations. 22-year-old Taijuan Walker (7-7, 5.06 ERA) will toe the rubber for Seattle, and 36-year-old Mark Buehrle (11-5, 3.23 ERA) will get the ball for the Blue Jays.

More from Mariners News

Root Sports Northwest will carry the game live locally, and MLB.tv subscribers can watch on connected devices. The Mariners enter today’s game 9.5 games back in the American League West, and 7.5 games out in the wildcard race.

Mariners’ skipper Lloyd McClendon and Blue Jays’ boss John Gibbons have released the following lineups for Sunday’s series finale:

Pick to Click

Jul 21, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Franklin Gutierrez (30) receives congratulations from right fielder Seth Smith (7) and third baseman Kyle Seager (15) after he hits a grand slam home run in the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Mariners have had an offensive explosion of sorts over the last week, and every game seems to produce a new hero. There are a number of intriguing candidates today, but I am going to go with Franklin Gutierrez as my pick to click. Gutierrez has been very productive against Mark Buehrle during his career, going 8 for 22 with a double, 2 home runs and 9 RBI’s. Guti led the M’s past Detroit earlier in the week by launching a pinch-hit grand slam. I think a repeat performance might be a bit much, but I envision the 32-year-old contributing a pair of hits and a couple of RBI’s to the Mariners’ cause.

Final Score Prediction

The Seattle Mariners are going for their first series win since July 1st this afternoon. This season has not gone according to plan for the M’s or their fans, but there is still enough time to turn things around. If that is going to happen, Seattle needs to win today. It is hard to hold off the Toronto bats, but Taijuan Walker does have a complete game under his belt against the Jays. I predict the M’s will take the series with a 5-3 victory on Sunday afternoon at Safeco Field.

Next: Mariners News: Ketel Marte Moving to CF

More from SoDo Mojo

Home/Mariners News