Examining every missed Mariners opportunity in 2022 ALDS

Mariners Game Two Mistakes: A Luis Castillo hanger

I was worried about this game. After blowing a game, and doing so in allowing one of the biggest comebacks in the history of the postseason, I was worried the Mariners were going to come out flat. It would be easy to do, especially against Framber Valdez.

It took until the 4th inning, but the Mariners put up 2 runs and gave themselves a 2-1 lead. They had a huge chance in the 6th to score a bunch of insurance runs, loading the bases and knocking Valdez out of the game. Hector Neris came in, and got Cal Raleigh to ground out and end the inning. Huge props to Raleigh for what he has done, playing with a fractured thumb with torn ligaments.

Luis Castillo got the first two outs in the 6th, before giving up a single to Jeremy Pena. Then, he left a 2-seamer a little too close to the plate, and once again Yordan Alvarez would punish a ball, depositing it into the Crawford boxes in LF, giving the Astros the lead.

The Mariners still had chances. They got two on in the 7th with walks to Crawford and France, but Suarez couldn’t capitalize. Santana got on in the 8th, but nothing else. Frazier got on in the 9th to lead it off, and then awful luck happened. Crawford hit a seed down the first base line… right to the first baseman, who sauntered over to the bag for the double play. Julio ripped a 2B, which was so close to being a game-tying 4-4 2B. Instead, France would go down on strikes, and the game was over.