Double-Trouble: Mariners Use Two-Baggers To Defeat Indians

Yesterday the Mariners continued to pile on runs and doubles in their latest opponent, the Cleveland Indians. While their offense continued to shine, they required some solid relief pitching in the late stages of this ball game, eventually using newly acquired right-hander, Casey Fien, to record the team’s first save of the spring.

The Mariners have been an offensive firecracker in their four wins so far this offseason. They have scored 41 runs in those victories giving them an average runs per game in wins of 10.25 and their average margin of victory has been 7.25. So, it was unusual to see an M’s picture come out in the late innings to lock down a 7-4 win.

While it was nice to see the M’s pitching staff hold its own after the 7th, the key to the M’s success was once again the double.

For the second time in six games, the M’s collected seven doubles in a game. This time around, the double-trouble came off the bats of five different men.

Both Leonys Martin and Tyler O’Neill smacked two doubles, while Guillermo Heredia snagged his fourth two-bagger of the spring to take the outright spring training lead in doubles.

The doubles hit by the M’s in this game ultimately decide their fate. Three of the seven doubles brought in a combined three runs, which, as we now know, would end up being the difference in runs by the conclusion of the contest.

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It was great to see these doubles give the Mariners their fourth win this early in the spring -they are one of four teams in the cactus league with four or more wins- but this has been the norm for the M’s.

In just six games the Mariners have 26 doubles, putting them on pace to crush 156 by the end of spring. To put that into perspective, the M’s belted 67 doubles all of spring 2016.

Even more eye-opening, the M’s 67 doubles last year contributed for only 57% of their extra-base hits. Early on in 2017, the M’s 26 doubles count for 81% of the team’s XBH.

Many Mariners fans are expecting the home run to be one of the main sources of run production this season, but with only four in six games so far, the bats have yet to get into full gear.

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Thankfully the bats are geared up to smash doubles because, without them, the M’s wouldn’t be winning at the rate they are this spring.

In about an hour, the M’s take on the Milwaukee Brewers with the intention to win their fifth game this spring.