Seattle Mariners Drop Fourth Straight: What We Learned
![SEATTLE, WA - APRIL 15: Yusei Kikuchi #18 of the Seattle Mariners pitches against the Cleveland Indians in the first inning during their game at T-Mobile Park on April 15, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_752,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Fsodomojo-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2017-2F07-2F1137463673-850x560-9607ce7a4c2bf718a58f95f99da60643.jpg)
The Mariners faced some very tough pitching, and umpiring, in tonights 6-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians. Trevor Bauer looked as good as he ever has tonight, pitching 6.2 innings, giving up 5 hits, walking 3 and striking out 8.
The home run record keeps growing, up to 19 games, with Edwin Encarnacion’s blast in the 8th inning. Mariners catcher Omar Narvaez also checked in with a home run. Here are a few takeaways from tonight ballgame.
Jackie Robinson Day
All across baseball today, April 15th, Every player and coach donned the number 42 to celebrate the Great Jackie Robinson, on what would have been his 100th birthday. Jackie, as you may know, was the first African-American player to join the big leagues back in 1947.
His legacy will always be remembered throughout the baseball world, and he is one of the greatest Americans to ever live. Today, we are all Jackie Robinson.
Bullpen Was Ugly… Again.
In what was one of the worst inning I can ever remember, the Indians scored 2 runs… without putting a single ball in play. Zac Rosscup, Connor Sadzeck, and Shawn Armstrong combined to walk 4 batters, hit a batter and throw 2 Wild Pitches. In total, the Mariners walked 7 batters tonight. Cleveland came into tonight’s game having a team batting average of less than .200. Not good.
Bad Umpiring… Again.
Home Plate umpire Tim Timmons was awful tonight calling balls and strikes. I try very hard not to blame games on Umpires or Refs, but Tim Timmons was THAT bad. Not just to the Mariners, but the Indians as well.
Whether it was calling strikes on balls that were in the opposite batter’s box or granting time to a batter when the Roenis Elias was in the middle of his stretch, he was bad. Plain and simple. Not saying it cost the Mariners the win, but it makes you wonder.
This was a tough game to watch, but when you play 162 of these, you’re bound to have a few duds. The Mariners are now 13-6. Tomorrow’s pitching matchup is Shane Bieber (1-0, 1.80 ERA) against Mike Leake (2-0, 4.15 ERA).
As always, Go Mariners!