This story was originally published by Dead Spin
The Seattle Mariners have cooled off in the past two games following a hot start in their series opener against the Los Angeles Angels.
They’ll look to get back on track and salvage a series split when the American League West rivals face off in one last tilt on Sunday in Anaheim, Calif.
The Mariners have dropped each of the past two after an 11-0 win on Thursday in the opener of the four-game set. They scored four runs over the first three innings in Friday’s 6-5 loss in extra innings but have safely crossed the plate just twice in the 16 innings since.
In Saturday’s 2-1 setback, Seattle went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
“You’ve got hit with runners in scoring position,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Two-out RBIs are huge in this game, and we had them on the ropes and we couldn’t knock them out.”
A win in the finale Sunday would help Seattle maintain its tenuous hold on first place in the AL West, a position the Mariners have held for over 60 days. They’re one game ahead of the second-place Houston Astros, who they’ll face when they return from the break later next week.
Victor Robles went 3-for-4 for Seattle on Saturday and has had a solid start to July thus far. The outfielder is 5-for-10 with a .545 on-base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage in five games this month.
The Mariners will hand the ball to right-hander Logan Gilbert (6-5, 2.94 ERA) for the finale. Gilbert is 4-2 with a 4.57 ERA in eight career starts against the Angels. He has 51 career strikeouts versus Los Angeles, his third-most against a single opponent.
A win Sunday would make it three straight for the Angels and give them their first series victory since taking three of four from the Detroit Tigers two weeks ago. Los Angeles has won three of its past four after dropping eight of its previous nine.
“Pitching, defense, timely hitting,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “That’s what it was.”
Los Angeles received a quality outing from starting pitcher Jose Soriano on Saturday and will be hoping right-hander Carson Fulmer (0-2, 3.83 ERA) can kick things off on the right foot to close out the series in what could be a bullpen game.
Fulmer has faced Seattle three times in his career (one start). He’s 1-0 with a 4.32 ERA in those games, allowing four runs, including two homers, and fanning six in 8 1/3 innings.
Reliever Ben Joyce threw 13 strikes on 18 pitches in the seventh inning on Saturday and struck out the top three hitters in the Mariners’ order with the tying run in scoring position. The 23-year-old, who has tossed 14 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings, has added the sinker and changeup to his repertoire.
“I think it’s another one of those things where the more I throw it, the more comfortable I feel with it,” Joyce said. “Just the few times I’ve thrown it now, it feels great. I feel comfortable throwing it, so I think that’s something I could definitely throw more.”
–Field Level Media
