Trouble in the Twin Cities: Mariners fall in series opener to Twins, 3-1
By Charles Hamaker
Minneapolis, MN – While they’ve been able to come up on the positive end of the results lately despite some struggles at the plate, the Seattle Mariners couldn’t squeak by the Minnesota Twins in game one of their four-game series as the Mariners fell by a score of 3-1 to the red-hot Twins. Despite seeing their 12-game winning streak snapped yesterday, Minnesota put together a winning ballgame against a Seattle team that continues to struggle execution wise at the plate, as the Mariners couldn’t cash in on big moments offensively in this game. The biggest opportunity that Seattle had came in the top of the seventh inning, as the Mariners loaded the bases with no outs and all they ended up having to show for it was a singular measly run, off a sacrifice fly by former Twin Mitch Garver. While this loss can be viewed as just one game against a good team, the Mariners must bring a better approach to the plate going forward and work on improving their struggles offensively if they’re going to be a serious playoff contender and give their pitching staff some form of support.
Minnesota Twins Simeon Woods Richardson warms up ahead of the teams win over the Seattle Mariners at Target Field on May 6th, 2024. (Photo by Paul Hamaker)
A pitchers duel through much of this game
The first six innings of this game felt very much like the first contest of the Mariners series against the Atlanta Braves recently, as both starting pitchers tonight worked their magic as the Seattle lineup struggled to create any hard contact and the Mariners pitcher worked his way through the opponents lineup in a great effort to keep his team in the game. Through the first few innings, neither starter blinked as Woods Richardson and Castillo spun it well, before Mariners designated hitter Mitch Garver became the first base runner of the night as he singled to left field. It didn’t amount to anything for Seattle, though, as the batters that followed Garver failed to move him past first base and any start of momentum was halted swiftly. Before the Twins were able to get their first base runner of the game, Cal Raleigh drew a walk and was able to represent the first runner in scoring position for Seattle as he got to second on a wild pitch. Once again, the hitters in the Mariners lineup following the one who had gotten on base failed to get anything going, and the momentum was dashed before it had really started.
“I think it was good, I went out there and battled. We weren’t able to come up with the victory as a team, but I think overall I went out there and did my job.”
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo warms up ahead of the teams loss on the road to the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on May 6th, 2024. (Photos by Paul Hamaker)
Chances late to push ahead, but falling short
It was the Twins who got on the board first in this game despite the little traction that the Mariners had showed throughout this game early on, rivaling the blank frames by Minnesota. Max Kepler doubled down the first base line, driving the ball up the line and off the base itself as Seattle’s Ty France couldn’t handle it, allowing Kepler to get to second easily, before Carlos Correa’s deep double off the right field wall drove in the first run of the ballgame. While Castillo’s day had rolled along, carrying a perfect game into the fifth inning, his offense had failed him and the pressure was on to remain perfect, which is such a difficult task especially against a Minnesota team that’s swung the bat well in recent weeks. Castillo was able to get out of that inning following the RBI double by Correa, and the game went on quietly once again for the next few frames before the Mariners put together their biggest opportunity of the day. The Twins turned things over to reliever Griffin Jax, ending Simeon Woods Richardson’s remarkably strong outing, and Seattle immediately went to work against the new face out of the bullpen as Jorge Polanco and Mitch Haniger both reached with singles while Cal Raleigh drew a walk to fill the bags with no outs.
From there, things predictably went downhill. First baseman Ty France struck out on four pitches after taking the first pitch for a ball and missing on two fastballs around the heart of the plate. Designated hitter Mitch Garver did hit a sacrifice fly to center field, driving a sweeper just deep enough into the outfield to allow Polanco to score easily from third base. With two runners on after that and two outs, left fielder Luke Raley struck out on four pitches to end the inning and see Seattle come away with just the one run to tie the game from that golden opportunity. In the bottom of that seventh inning, Minnesota did the damage that the Mariners couldn’t. A walk from Max Kepler and a double by Carlos Correa to begin the bottom of the frame immediately put the Twins in an advantageous position, but it appeared that Seattle could’ve made their way out of the jam. With a grounder by Willi Castro weakly rolling to him at first base, Ty France made the heads up play to catch Max Kepler awkwardly away from third base and eventually a throw and chase down by Josh Rojas got the lead runner out and prevented a run. From there, Luis Castillo intentionally walked former Mariners Carlos Santana to load the bases, and things began to unravel. Christian Vazquez hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Correa and push Willi Castro to third. Scott Servais called to the bullpen for Trent Thornton, but a Manuel Margot single scored Castro and the Twins had taken advantage of not a flailing Seattle offense, but a few mistakes from starting pitching that would’ve needed to be absolutely perfect to win this game. In the next two times up to the plate, the Mariners couldn’t get anything going as they were retired in order both times, and Minnesota took game one of this four-game set.
“Bases loaded, nobody out, I don’t care who’s on the mound, anytime you get the bases loaded nobody out and you know we come up with one run, you’re disappointed. Obviously we got back into the game., we tied the game there, but you’re looking for more.”
This loss shows issues that have been present all year long
It’s getting increasingly frustrating to see the Mariners fail to cash in with great opportunities, such as the bases loaded with no outs, and even if there was the one run scored to make it not a complete waste, you need more in that situation on the road against a good team such as the Twins right now. We’re getting to the point where it isn’t “early” anymore, and considering how the Texas Rangers are hanging around in the AL West standings, you can’t bank on that early stuff if you want to be able to control your destiny. Yes, we still will have a few months before we get to the actual weeks that determine whether you are or aren’t a playoff contender, the regular season is very much for building habits that should carry into the playoffs, and we’re seeing bad habits formed by the Mariners as we’re early into the month of May. You cannot continue to rely on the pitching staff to be so historic that they achieve feats not seen in 100 years, you simply cannot fall back on that. It seems obvious to say that, but Seattle has had this same sort of issue the past two seasons and it’s resulted in a playoff run in 2022 that should’ve gone farther had they added more talent and falling just short of the postseason by one game last year.
Again, I will mention as I have throughout the course of this season and those two that I just brought up, there is time and space for this Mariners group to be able to grow from these early struggles and create some real change with their approach at the plate. Whether that’s your own lineup improving (Struggles from Julio Rodríguez, Mitch Haniger, Ty France as of late while others with slow starts such as Jorge Polanco continue to scuffle along) or finding a way if you’re the front office to improve via trade before the deadline this summer, something must be done to push this team over the edge and make them a legitimate contender. Unless they’re able to truly figure things out and not make this effort tonight the “norm” that we’re seeing consistently, they are not a legitimate contender and will not do anything in the playoffs if they’re able to make it. Complacency is the main issue here, and it’s becoming major malpractice to let this pitching staff down with mediocre/pathetic offense.
Quick Mariners notes
14,384 was the attendance at Target Field as our visiting Seattle Mariners fell to the Minnesota Twins
That’s 36% of full capacity at Target Field (39,504).
The Seattle Mariners are still the only team in the Majors that has yet to allow an opposing starting pitcher to complete 7.0 innings this season.
Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson went six innings tonight.
The Mariners have gone a franchise-record 35 games to begin the season without allowing an opposing starting pitcher to complete 7.0 innings
Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco extended his hitting streak to 8 consecutive games
With today’s win, the Minnesota Twins have won 13 of their last 14 games.
Louie the Loon won tonight’s Twins Target Race.
Full gallery of pregame action ahead of the Seattle Mariners road loss to the Minnesota Twins on May 6th, 2024. (Photos by Paul Hamaker)
What’s next?
Following tonight’s series opening road loss to the Minnesota Twins to begin a four-game set, the Seattle Mariners will look to get back on track (including getting the bats going) when game two takes place. That game two takes place tomorrow, Tuesday, May 7th with a first pitch time of 4:40PM PDT or 6:40PM CT. The Mariners will have young Emerson Hancock on the mound, a righty who continues to try and make an impact/impression as it appears that the return of Bryan Woo looms near, as he’ll duel on the mound against Minnesota’s Bailey Ober. Seattle’s lineup hasn’t had much sustained success against Ober, outside of Mitch Haniger who has 3 RBI’s and a homer against him in four at bats, so the Mariners will need to regroup and reset at the plate in order to give Hancock some run support and dig themselves out of what seems like an entire group of hitters that’s pressing on offense. This game between our Mariners and the Twins will be broadcast on Root Sports Northwest within their market (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska) and on the radio at 710 AM.
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