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Mariners Game Recap: M’s Lose Heartbreaker In 10, 4-3

By Ric Dickens

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Jul 27, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Carson Smith (39) sits in the dugout after being relieved for against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the tenth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

62. Final. 4. 8. 3

The Seattle Mariners (46-53) and their playoff chances were snake bitten tonight, as the Arizona Diamondbacks (46-51) won a heart breaker 4-3 in 10 innings. The loss sent M’s fans home incredibly unhappy and this loss stings even more because of the fight the M’s showed in the 9th to tie it up. Mike Montgomery (4-4 4.30) took the no decision for the M’s tonight against the Diamondbacks. Robbie Ray (3-5, 2.70 ERA) was impressive tonight, but he was given the tough luck no decision when the M’s came back in the ninth.

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Mike Montgomery got off to a rough start in the first inning, giving up a first inning home run to Paul Goldschmidt. After that though he settled down nicely, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits across 6 2/3 innings pitched. He fanned five and walked four in the series opener, and had trouble with his command all night. He threw a season high 116 pitches with 70 finding the strike zone. For Mike it is all about keeping pitches down, and his two mistakes were turned into home runs for the Diamondbacks. I would’ve liked to see him have better command of the strike zone, but overall, I was pleased with the performance.

Embattled reliever Fernando Rodney was called on to pitch in the sixth, and worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings. J.A. Happ then came in for the ninth inning, and worked a scoreless inning while striking out a pair. I wouldn’t read too much into him coming out of the pen, other than he was available after his putrid start in his previous outing, and Lloyd wanted to get him some work. In the 10th, Carson Smith came in and he was terrible. The 25-year-old pitched a third of an inning, walking two and was responsible for the Diamondbacks winning run and the loss. Smitty’s is usually unhittable, especially when he has the wipeout slider working. But, he wasn’t able to locate it tonight and he paid the price. Vidal Nuno pitched the final 2/3 of an inning, getting the two batters out that he faced.

Robbie Ray got the start for the Diamondbacks tonight, and he was incredibly impressive. Ray was in control and in command all night, and the M’s offense could never really get it going. The southpaw allowed two runs on six hits across seven innings of work. He struck out seven, walked two and kept the M’s at bay all night. Randall Delgado pitched a scoreless eighth for the Diamondbacks and struck out two M’s. Daniel Hudson was charged with the earned run, even thought it was former Mariner Oliver Perez, who served up the game-tying hit to Mike Zunino. Andrew Chafin pitched a scoreless 10th for the Dbacks, and was given the save for it.

Mark Trumbo was the pace setter for the M’s offense tonight, and it came against his old ball club. Trumbo went 3-4 with a run scored, including his ninth inning double that allowed Mike Zunino to be the hero in the ninth. Seattle’s offense got going in the 5th inning, when Mark Trumbo doubled to deep right center. Logan Morrison then followed that up with an RBI single, and that brought the score to 3-1. In the 6th the Mariners’ got another run thanks to a scorching hot Robinson Cano, as he took a pitch and put it into the seats in right field. And in the ninth inning with the M’s down one, this offense showed some fight as they have for the past week or so. Cano led off with a walk, and Seth Smith followed it up with a double play ball that crushed the M’s spirits. But, Mark Trumbo followed that up with a double, and LoMo walked. Then, Mike Zunino came through in the clutch, delivering a huge base hit into left field to tie the game. Even though the M’s didn’t win it, it was nice to see Mike step up in that situation.

The Diamondbacks offense got going right away, with one of the best hitters in baseball getting things going. Paul Goldschmidt is the real deal, and he proved it tonight with his first inning home run off Mike Montgomery. Whether you like it or not, watching him will be a treat the remainder of the series, as he is without a doubt the most underrated player in baseball. In the second inning, former Mariner Welington Castillo homered, making it 2-0 for the Dbacks. The DBacks got one more in the second on an RBI groundout by Ender Inciarte to make it 3-0. But the Diamondbacks were shut out the rest of the way into the 10th, where all of the M’s faithful hearts were broken. Smitty was wild and loaded the bases, and UW alum Jake Lamb lifted a sacrifice fly, and that was enough to give the Dbacks a 4-3 lead and the victory.

The M’s showed fight tonight, something I would’ve liked to see a lot more this year. They came back from a 3-0 deficit, with Mike Zunino coming up clutch with a two out, two strike, base knock into left field. But unfortunately, they lack the winning instinct that good teams have and it cost them again tonight. With the loss tonight, the M’s move to ten games back in the AL West, and seven games back in the Wildcard.

The Seattle Mariners (46-54) will attempt to bounce back tomorrow, as they play game two of the three game series tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 pm from the corner of Edgar & Dave. Hisashi Iwakuma (2-1 4.50 ERA) will get the ball tomorrow for the M’s. Rookie Zack Godley (1-0 0.00 ERA) will make his second career start for the Diamondbacks and will try and give the Diamondbacks the series win. Root Sports will carry the game live locally, and MLB.tv subscribers can watch worldwide on connected devices.

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