Mariners Recap: Despite Efforts to Ruin It, M’s Win on Felix Day

Aug 3, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez (34) prepares to deliver a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Despite their best attempts to ruin a Felix Day performance, the Seattle Mariners escaped Coors Field with an 8-7 win in game one of a three-game set with the Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies got the first two men on in the bottom of the ninth, down 8-4, against Tom Wilhelmsen and Rob Rasmussen. Carson Smith then came in and got a strikeout of D.J. LeMahieu before surrendering a two-RBI double to make it 8-6. Two straight singles made it 8-7 and put runners at first and third with one out. Smith then got his second strikeout of the inning.

Charlie Blackmon stepped to the plate with a chance to be the hero for the Rockies, but Smith induced a flyout to CF to end the game. For Smith, he’s really struggled in the closer’s role in the last week. Enough to prompt this funny tweet from Ryan Divish.

The win moves the M’s to 49-58 on the season while dropping the Rockies to 44-60. Thanks to a Blue Jays win over the Twins, the M’s are now 6.0 back in the wild card. The Angels are also losing as of this write-up so the M’s have an opportunity to gain a spot on the Angels as well for the first wild card spot.

The negative about the Twins and Blue Jays playing each other? The two are in a tie, so one of them will gain a game on the other and the M’s won’t have an opportunity to pick up a game tomorrow, and a loss would guarantee falling a game back.

The M’s got out to a 4-0 lead right away in the first on an RBI single from Robinson Cano, a two-RBI double from Jesus Montero, and a single from Brad Miller.

In the second, after a Rockies run made it 4-1, Kyle Seager and Nelson Cruz homered to make it 6-1. A Brad Miller homer in the 3rd made it 7-1.

The Rockies made it interesting against Felix in the fourth, posting two runs to make it 7-3. The King didn’t have his “A” stuff tonight, surrendering four earned runs in 6.2 innings. He had just one walk and had nine strikeouts in moving to 13-6.

Reminder: The Mariners and Rockies play again tomorrow night at Coors Field. First pitch is at 5:40 p.m. PST.

Go M’s!

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