Mariners Game Recap: Offense Bails Out Walker After Rough Return

On a night celebrating ‘The Kid’, the hometown kid, Shawn O’Malley, led the Mariners past the Angels.

The Seattle Mariners (56-53) defeated the Los Angeles Angels (49-61) on an electric night at Safeco Field. Drew Storen (2-3) collected the win, defeating Jose Valdez (0-1) while the Mariners newest closer Edwin Diaz slammed the door shut in the ninth inning for his fourth save.

In case you hadn’t heard, this is Ken Griffey Jr. weekend at Safeco Field, and tonight his number 24 was retired by the team. Seemingly in honor of Junior and his majestic swing, the M’s slugged three home runs, scoring eight runs on 10 hits.

More from Mariners News

• What if the Mariners traded FOR Tyler O’Neill this time?
• Mariners starting pitching is being overlooked by MLB
• Baking the Cake: An Adjusted Mariners Offseason Plan
• Taylor Trammell Could Provide Impact to 2023 Mariners
• What Jerry Dipoto’s trades, comments mean for remainder of Mariners offseason

Tonight’s games started just as last night’s did: with Mike Trout leaving the yard. Trout smacked a three-run homerun to left field to give the Angels an early 3-0 lead against Walker.

In the bottom half of the first, the Mariners got one back on a Robinson Cano double. Scoring was Franklin Gutierrez who had gotten on base with a double of his own to cut the Angels lead to 3-1.

Trout got to Walker again in the third, this time hammering an RBI triple. Trout then came in to score on an Albert Pujols sacrifice fly to extend their lead to 5-1.

Guillermo Heredia led off the bottom of the third with his first major league home run to cut the deficit to 5-2. But Walker gave it right back in the top of the fourth, allowing an RBI single to Johnny Giavotella pushed it to 6-2.

Walker went 4 innings, allowing earned 6 runs on 7 hits before handing the ball off to the bullpen who locked it down, allowing the offense to take over.

Franklin Gutierrez hit a two-run home run into the bullpen in the bottom of the fifth to inch closer, making it a 6-4 ballgame. Cody Martin threw the ball very well, going 2.2 innings allowing only 2 hits before giving the ball to Storen to finish the top of seventh.

More from SoDo Mojo

• What if the Mariners traded FOR Tyler O’Neill this time?
• Mariners starting pitching is being overlooked by MLB
• Baking the Cake: An Adjusted Mariners Offseason Plan
• Taylor Trammell Could Provide Impact to 2023 Mariners
• How the Mariners could swing a trade for Fernando Tatis Jr

After Nelson Cruz flew out to lead off the bottom of the seventh, the Mariners drew three straight walks to load the bases with one out. Leonys Martin scored Adam Lind from third with a sacrifice fly to cut the Angels lead to 6-5 with two outs.

Shawn O’Malley followed that up with a big-time three-run homerun over the right field fence to put the Mariners ahead for good 8-6. Tom Wilhelmsen threw a perfect eigth inning and Edwin Diaz closed out the game to seal the victory.

Gutierrez finished the game going 3-5 with 2 RBI, a homerun and a double, just a triple shy of the cycle. O’Malley had a 1-4 night with 3 RBI, his one hit bing huge—a three-run home run.

Next: Attention Seattle: We Have a Closer

The Seattle Mariners will take on the Angels in the series finale tomorrow afternoon at 1:10 pm PT. The M’s will send lefty James Paxton (3-5, 3.93) to the mound to face Matt Shoemaker (6-11, 4.08) as they go for the three-game sweep.