Mariners Game Recap: M's Smash 5 Homers, Beat O's 12-6

11. 12. 62. Final. 6

The Mariners got the offense rolling early and didn’t take their foot of the pedal until late in the game, as they took down the Orioles for the third straight night, this time, 12-6.

Much like last night, the Mariners pounded the Orioles early. After Leonys Martin lined out, Seth Smith and Robinson Cano hit back-to-back singles, the table was set for Nelson Cruz to put the first runs and board. Not only did he do just that, but he did it with emphasis, pummeling the baseball 459 feet on the first pitch he saw. In the very next inning, lead-off batter, Adam Lind doubled to left, on a ball that narrowly missed the glove of the Orioles Nolan Reimold. After Lind, Mike Zunino stepped into the batters’ box for his first licks in the majors after spending several months down at Triple-A Tacoma.

Zunino had caused a big stir in the early parts of the 2016 season because he wouldn’t stop tearing the leather off the ball. In April he hit .397, belted seven home runs and drove in twenty-two runs. Fans and analysts suggested that maybe he should be brought back up to flaunt his power; so when he got his first chance, he let every know why he should be playing in the big leagues.

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On a 1-2 count, he squared up a ball that he scorched, line-drive style over the left field wall, in between the O’s bullpen that must have still been shell-shocked from Cruz’s long ball. But the M’s didn’t stop there, although they did take a short break in the third to give the Orioles a break.
The man of the hour, or more appropriately the week, Smith was next to join the home run parade. With Leonys Martin on first after drawing a seven-pitch walk, Smith had his turn to make personal history. A third home run in as many days would be a first for Smith in his ten year career. The pressure of the moment didn’t get to the recently hot slugger who took advantage of a 3-0 hitters count against Orioles starter, Tyler Wilson, and sailed the ball into the bleachers. Scott Servais, had given the green light to Smith, who could’ve seen a few pitches, trying to force a walk, but must have sensed that Smith was looking to achieve greatness on this day and let him swing away.

Even down 8-1 going into the fifth the Orioles never gave up, valiantly fighting to keep the game competitive. Adam Jones and the O’s started to get at Mariners starter, James Paxton, who was in the midst of another brilliant outing, put one run on the board to cut the lead to six. Smith would step up again though in the bottom half of the frame, retaking that seven run lead via a single scoring Shawn O’Malley.

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In the sixth, that M’s had grown tired of the fighting Orioles who had once again cut the lead, this time down to five runs. So when they had their chance to hit back, they hit hard. Kyle Seager doubled with one out and then Dae-Ho Lee brought him home despite being thrown out at second on a disputed tag call. Adam Lind followed Lee to the box and waited for the right pitch. Seven pitches later, he spotted a sweet one and blasted it off O’s relief, Vance Worley, for the team’s fourth home run of the game. Zunino, who was behind Lind in tonight’s line-up, would one-up his teammate on the next at-bat, the next pitch, for his second homer of the evening. For a guy who had just been called up, it was as if he were locked-in an early afternoon batting-practice. It was the second time the Mariners had beaten the baseball out of the yard five times this year- the first was back on May 31st against the San Diego Padres.

Next: Homers Power M’s Past O’s 5-2

The five homers had given the Mariners eleven of their twelve runs on the night, putting them way ahead of the feisty Orioles that put two runs on the board off a Chris Davis homer of his own. But with the lead 12-6, and time running out, the Orioles didn’t have enough magic in their wands to pull off the comeback. The win was the M’s third in a row, a feat that haven’t accomplished since sweeping the Cincinnati reds back in late May (20th-22nd). Tomorrow they will look for the four-game sweep, and while they haven’t achieved that since 2012 versus the Kansas Cit Royals, we can be hopeful, because it happened it July.

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Mariners Game Recap: M’s Smash 5 Homers, Beat O’s 12-6

By Adam Levi | Jul 2, 2016

The Mariners got the offense rolling early and didn’t take their foot of the pedal until late in the game, as they took down the Orioles for the third straight night, this time, 12-6.

More from SoDo Mojo