The Seattle Mariners Floundered in Visit to Texas

Luis Castillo appeared to be the only player who was highly successful in the series with the Rangers. Texas shut the Mariners out in the first game, scored numerous runs in the second game, and piled more runs on in the third.

Observations

Several Players Hit. Although there were few hits overall, two players hit five times over the three games: Ty France and Teoscar Hernandez. Jose Caballero hit three times. Rodriguez, Haggerty, and Pollock each hit twice.

The Mariners struggle at the plate. Players who want to improve their swings do not seem to do so with the Mariners. Last year, Cal Raleigh improved significantly during his time in AAA Tacoma. Over the offseason, Jared Kelenic went somewhere or to someone in California to restructure his batting. J.P. Crawford strengthened his hitting at Driveline. If the Mariners have hitting issues, they need the best hitting coaches possible. My question is, do they have them?

Home runs should not be stolen. It is one thing for players to occasionally snatch a home run in a ballpark with a high wall. It is another thing to just reach over a six-foot wall and steal it.

Game One TEX 2 SEA 0

Starting Pitchers Jon Gray and Luis Castillo

Both Castillo and Gray threw excellent games. Castillo pitched eight innings and allowed five hits but only one run and one walk. Teoscar Hernandez hit and Jose Caballero walked but they both were out by miscalculations. In the top of the fourth, Julio Rodriguez singled and then stole second base. Jarred Kelenic walked so two men were stranded on base. The Rangers scored in the sixth inning and then in the ninth.

Game Two TEX 16 SEA 6

Starting Pitchers: Bryan Woo and Andrew Heaney

This was not the time for Bryan Woo to pitch for the first time in MLB. The Rangers scored six runs during his two innings. Matt Festa followed in the third inning. Tayler Saucedo and then Chris Flexen pitched two innings each. Mike Ford, a recent call-up from AAA Tacoma, pitched the final inning since he had been a pitcher in college.

In the first, Julio Rodriguez, Teoscar Hernandez, and Jarred Kelenic each singled and Rodriguez scored. Eugenio Suarez walked, so two men were stranded. In the top of the third, Ty France was on 3rd base and Kelenic was on first when strike three was called. In the top of the fourth, Tom Murphy walked and AJ Pollock singled. Jose Caballero doubled, allowing Murphy to score. J.P. Crawford walked. Murphy and Pollock scored for SEA 3 TEX 6. The Rangers scored one in the bottom of the inning. SEA 3 TEX 7.

The Rangers hit several home runs: Leody Taveras and Marcus Semien hit three-run homers. Nathaniel Lowe hit a two-run home run and Mitch Garver hit a solo. Nine runs came from these hits.

In the top of the ninth, Cabellero singled and stole second. Ty France singled and Caballero scored. Ty France moved to second base. Sam Haggerty singled and advanced to second and France to third. Teoscar Hernandez singled and Ty France and Haggerty scored. SEA 6 TEX 16. Two Mariners were stranded on base.

Game 3 SEA 3 TEX 12

Starting Pitchers: Bryce Miller and Nathan Eovaldi

The Rangers roughed Bryce Miller up, scoring seven runs in 2.1 innings. Speier and Brash followed Miller with 1.1 innings each and then Gott, Festa, and Topa each pitched one inning. Nathan Eovaldi pitched six innings.

Texas scored two runs in the first and five in the third. SEA 0 TEX 7. In the bottom of the fifth Mike Ford hit a home run that was legally stolen (really?) with a reach over a six-foot wall. They scored another five runs in the sixth. SEA 0 TEX 12 Ty France singled and Eugenio Suarez doubled, enabling France to score. Hernandez walked and a single from Caballero sent Suarez home. SEA 2 TEX 12. Kolten Wong’s single allowed Hernandez to score. SEA 3 TEX 12.

On to San Diego. Go Mariners!