Mariners Season Review: Top 5 Moments In June

June was probably the most chaotic month for the Mariners. Emotions ran high as they scrambled to stay afloat, not just in the AL West, but in the early Wild Card picture as well. Unfortunately, for the Mariners, their high energy didn’t convert to wins. They would finish with a monthly record of 10-18, the worst of any month.

By the end of June, it already seemed clear how they Mariners could possibly make the playoffs. The Texas Rangers were running away with the AL West title, while the M’s, who were in first place the month before were now 10.5 game back. Oh, how a month of baseball can change the landscape.

Before the end of the month came around, the team was making all kinds of adjustments to stay competitive. And despite their record and various injuries, the Mariners were within reach of the ultimate goal of the post season. Here are the top five moments that got us through the month of June, leaving us with hope that their playoff drought could end.

5. Mariners Lose Longest Battle Thus Far- June 15th

Just days before this photo, Vidal Nuno looked just as dejected after giving up two hits and two walks in the sixth inning to blow a save opportunity against the Tampa Rays.

The Mariners took an early 2-0 lead into the later half of the game feeling pretty comfortable. The Rays would chip away at the lead, first getting a run back in the fourth via a sacrifice fly, and then later in the game with Nuno on the mound.

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Nuno would allow a walk and then a single that would bring in a runner that was already left on base by starter, Nathan Karns. The game was now tied at 2-2, and it would remain that way for a long time.

six more innings went by before anyone would score again. The Mariners bullpen remained unscathed, despite giving up six combined walks after the tying run crossed the plate. Their luck however didn’t continue in the thirteenth inning, as Mike Montgomery was warming up to shut down the Rays.

Montgomery started off well, striking out the first batter with just four pitches. After that, it all fell apart. The next man at the plate would triple. Then he would hit the next batter on the very first pitch. He followed that poor control with more poor control, walking the next batter and loading the bases.

There was still just one out and the Mariners and Montgomery were in a serious jam. Pitching carefully to Logan Morrison, Montgomery reached a full count. With nowhere to put him, Montgomery needed a strike. He didn’t get it. It was ball four, sending the runner from third on a pleasant stroll to home for the walk-off walk.

The game lasted four hours and thirty-eight minutes. It must have felt like the longest game of the Mariners lives. To be up, only to see the lead squandered away. It was loses like this one that made June the most frustrating month all year.

4. Cishek Wildly Blows The Game- June 23rd

Steve Cishek had an up and down year, but in June, it became clear that the closers’ role isn’t the best fit for him. He had blown two saves and two leads before this game, but today’s give away lose would take the cake.

The Mariners battled back from down 4-1 thanks the the power of three solo home runs. The momentum was in their favor. Not a lot had been in their favor up to this point. Going into the game, the Mariners had lost five straight, including one by walk-off home run.

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The bullpen was a large reason why the M’s could crawl their way back to a tie ballgame. All together they pitched 5.2 innings of three hit, shutout ball. Unfortunately, that would all be undone when Cishek would take the mound in the tenth.

Cishek would have a fairly strong ninth, walking one batter and that’s it before sending the game to extra innings. In the tenth he started out just fine inducing a ground-out. After that he walked a batter, gave up a single -the runner would advance on an error- and then intentionally walk the next man to load the bases.

In this dyer situation, Cishek would strikeout the next batter to make it two outs in the frame. The next batter could either: end the game or keep it going into the afternoon. Sadly, it was the former.

Cishek would fall behind to Ian Kinsler with a 1-0 count. The next pitch was far right, beyond the reach of Chris Iannetta, and the winning run would cross the plate. It was the Mariners sixth straight loss and their third walk-off loss in eight days. It was also the first time the team’s record had fallen below .500 since April 25th.

2. Diaz Makes His Electrifying Debut- June 6th

With the departure of Felix Hernandez to the DL earlier in the week, the Mariners were in need of an explosive replacement. Luckily for them, they had the perfect guy waiting in the minors to be a skillful power-pitcher.

Edwin Diaz was doing very well in AA ball before the Mariners called him up to be part of the bullpen. He had shown off his high-nineties fastball at the lower levels, but he was ready to bring a little something extra up in the big leagues.

Diaz would come in the seventh inning, down 3-1, to replace James Paxton. The crowd cheered with excitement as he made his way to the hill. Most of us had heard about his fiery fastball, but few had seen it. The crowd waited on every pitch.

Diaz thrilled the crowd hurling the ball over 100MPH often. He would reach a max speed of 101.2MPH. After his first strikeout on a fastball thrown at 100MPH, most of the crowd came to their feet. We were all watching the young man develop so quickly before our eyes, doing things few pitches have ever done in the sport. And, doing it so well.

His perfect seventh inning was the beautiful start to what will hopefully be a long, successful career as one of the league’s most intimidating and masterful power-pitchers.

1. Mariners Biggest Comeback Ever- June 2nd

If there was one game to watch all year, this comeback game versus the San Diego Padres would be a strong contender. It was a game that took you to your lowest lows as a Mariners fan, then quickly brought you up to one of your highest highs. It was so special to see this team storm back from down ten runs, it was hard believe this was real life.

The Mariners pitchers were horribly roughed up early. Starter, Wade Miley, gave up four runs in the first, one in the fourth and four more in the fifth. He was substituted for Mike Montgomery who then gave up three runs, a walk and four hits, all while recording one out. By the end of the fifth inning, these two men had given up twelve runs. The Mariners offense had scored just two runs.

In the sixth, the switch flipped, and the Mariners began their heroic comeback. First, Kyle Seager would plate two with a two-RBI double. The score was no 12-4. The very next batter was Dae-ho Lee. He smashed the ball way out of Petco Park, cutting the lead to 12-7.

That was all for the that frame, but the Mariners were just getting started. It would be the seventh inning that would go down in history.

In that memorable inning, the Mariners would get nine base knocks, eight of which scored at least one run. They would also draw a walk, steal a base and get hit by a pitch. In all, the Mariners would see fourteen batters step to the plate against three Padres pitchers. By the end of the seventh the Mariners would be ahead 16-12. Their chances of wining were flipped on its head. They started the frame with just a 4% shot of winning and drove it all the way up to 96%.

The Mariners would go onto win the thriller 16-13. It would be the largest comeback in franchise history, and will probably remain the largest for quite some time. It was a unbelievable sequence to watch, and it was definitely the greatest moment in the month of June.

Honerable Mention

With so many incredible moments throughout the month it was hard to fit them all. One that can not be forgotten is manager, Scott Servais’s first ejection.

Servais had never been ejected as a manager. But, after Shawn O’Malley was called out for “swinging” at a ball, Servias went right after home plate umpire, Carlos Torres. It wasn’t a Lou Pinella like ejection where the umpire might have to fear that he would be unintentionally spit on and intentionally dusted up, but it was feisty for Servais.

Watching the play, it is very close if O’Malley actually did go around on his check swing. Servias was upset that the call was delayed, but also that Torres did not ask for assistance.

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Servais stated after the game that while it was his first ejection, it would not be his last. For a team that has become one of the fighters in the league, their manager is going to become a fighter as well.