Two contenders heading in opposite directions as they approach the All-Star break go head-to-head again Tuesday afternoon when the Seattle Mariners shoot for a second straight win over the host San Francisco Giants
In a game in which seven of the 11 runs were scored in the ninth inning, the Mariners got the better of the Giants 4-3 in the decisive frame to break a tie and emerge with a 6-5 victory. Seattle recorded a third straight win for the first time in more than a month
A playoff team last season, the Mariners appear to be rounding into their best form of the year just as management sent a bit of a message by shipping underachieving right-hander Chris Flexen to the New York Mets on Monday in a three-player trade
Seattle also unloaded veteran reliever Trevor Gott, getting Mets left-hander Zach Muckenhirn in return.
“This gives Chris Flexen an opportunity to get rebooted,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said before New York designated Flexen for assignment. “In the meantime, we get a player back and we will use a couple of different players to fill that extra bullpen spot as we go forward.
One of two young pitchers promoted this season to help spark a struggling starting staff, Bryan Woo, held the Giants to two runs and three hits in six innings on Monday. Ty Adcock and Andres Munoz each added a shutout inning before Paul Sewald survived a three-run ninth while protecting a four-run lead
The win lifted the Mariners within one game of .500 at 41-42. They haven’t been over .500 since June 2
In Tuesday’s rematch, Seattle will hand the ball to Logan Gilbert (5-5, 4.19 ERA) with an eye on the break-even mark. The 26-year-old right-hander is coming off a 4-1 home loss to the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, charged with all four runs in six innings.
He has never faced the Giants in his three-year career
San Francisco plans a holiday parade of relievers on a bullpen day. Keaton Winn (0-1, 3.50 ERA) likely will serve as the opener.
One Giants reliever who no doubt would like a shot at revenge is Camilo Doval. The All-Star closer entered a 2-2 game in the ninth inning on Monday and watched the Mariners put up four runs
That turned out to be one too many in a game San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler indicated beforehand could be a message-sender for his fatigued team.
The Giants were coming off an 8-4 road loss to the New York Mets on Sunday night in a game that was pushed back for national-television purposes. It resulted in the Giants taking a late-night, cross-country flight home at the end of a trip with no day off after an early-morning arrival in San Francisco
“It’s a good opportunity for us to show some toughness here,” Kapler said of the disadvantageous schedule. “This next leg of travel is going to be equally challenging. You want to really quickly turn the page. … The next challenge is right in front of us and we’ve got to be ready for it.”
The Giants have lost three straight games for the first time since May 30-June 2
–Field Level Media
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