Mariners Game Preview: Miley vs. Smyly in Game 2 as M’s Go For Series Win

Mariners send Miley to the mound as they look to take the series from the Rays.

The Seattle Mariners (19-13) will take on the Tampa Bay Rays (15-15) tonight at 7:10 pm PT. Wade Miley (2-2, 4.74) will get the ball for the Mariners, going up against the lefty, Drew Smyly (1-3, 2.72).

In his last start in Houston, Miley went 6 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out 5 while picking up the no decision. His last start against the Rays came last season on September 24 while he was still a member of the Red Sox, where he went 6.1 innings and allowed 4 runs. Miley and the Rays have seen quite a bit of each other over in the AL East, but this is a new year with new players, so it will be interesting to see who has the edge.

Smyly hasn’t allowed more than 2 earned runs in a start since his first start of the season. And his 47 strikeouts over 39.2 innings aren’t promising for any lineup. In his last start against the Dodgers, he lasted just 5 innings, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits while walking 2. If the Mariners lineup can continue to put up solid at-bats, see a lot of pitches and work the count, they could see success against Smyly.

Here are tonight’s starting lineups as announced by M’s skipper Scott Servais and Rays manager Kevin Cash:

Pick to Click

More from SoDo Mojo

• 2023 Steamer Projections: Teoscar Hernandez could see a drop in Seattle
• Could the Mariners Acquire AL Batting Champion, Luis Arraez?
• Steamer Projections: Julio Rodriguez to enter rarified air in 2023
• What if the Mariners traded FOR Tyler O’Neill this time?
• Mariners starting pitching is being overlooked by MLB

Nelson Cruz is only hitting .235 in his last 10 games, going 8-35. But Cruz has had 13 at-bats against Smyly, the most of anyone in the M’s lineup. After getting the day off on Sunday, hopefully he gets things going again and I think tonight could spark that. I think Nellie breaks out of his slump and goes 2-4 tonight with a homerun and a double.

Final Score Prediction

I think both teams will have a tough time scoring runs early in this one. Smyly will most likely keep the M’s lineup at bay the first time through the order, while Miley does the same. Then it will come down to who puts up better at-bats. I’d place my bet on the Mariners, and that they make Smyly throw a lot of pitches to get him out of the game by the 5th or 6th inning. By the end of the night, I think the Mariners will finish on top by a score of 4-2.

Next: Mariners Weekly Rundown: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not

You can watch tonight’s game locally on Root Sports Northwest, and MLB.tv subscribers can watch worldwide on connected devices. Fans can also listen to the game live on 710 ESPN. And be sure to follow SoDo Mojo on twitter for live updates throughout the game, and check back after the final out has been recorded for a full recap. Go Mariners!