By Brittany Wisner, edited by Charles Hamaker

Los Angeles, CA – In a series they needed to sweep just to maintain pace with the red-hot Houston Astros, the Seattle Mariners dropped two of three games to the last place Los Angeles Angels this weekend, effectively falling six games back in the American League West and all but extinguishing any hope of a late-season run at the A.L. West title and subsequently, the postseason. 

The Mariners received relatively shaky performances from their starting pitchers in all three games, with the offense only able to provide adequate support in game one. 

Capitalizing early on a Zach Neto error, Seattle was able to plate five runs in the first inning to begin the series. Jorge Polanco drove in two on the error, Mitch Garver followed with a two-run double and Victor Robles recorded an RBI single all before the Angels would see an at-bat.

Julio Rodríguez homered in the fourth to extend the Mariners’ lead. It was Rodríguez’s first home run since July 20th and since returning from the injured list with a high ankle sprain. 

Starting pitcher George Kirby gave up five earned runs on the day, including three solo home runs and an abundance of hard contact. He was unable to complete the sixth inning but the bullpen combination of JT Chargois, Austin Voth, Trent Thornton and Troy Taylor closed the door, leading to a comfortable 9-5 win.

The good feelings didn’t last long for the M’s as game two delivered a crushing blow, one of many that they have suffered at the hands of the Angels this year. 

Two home runs from Justin Turner and a two-RBI single from Rodríguez put Seattle up 4-1 in the fourth, but the four runs would prove to be insufficient as Mariner starter Bryan Woo faltered for the first time in weeks.

Jo Adell homered for the Angels in the sixth – his second home run of the evening – and Mickey Moniak followed with a two-run home run in the seventh, tying the game and ending Woo’s night. That, unfortunately, would not be Moniak’s last home run of the game.

After Seattle’s offense failed to do anything to put themselves ahead in the top of the ninth, Mariner closer Andrés Muñoz managed to induce two outs in the bottom of the frame to put things close to extra innings. But on a 1-2 count, Moniak took a back-foot slider that caught too much of the plate and deposited it over the right field fence, walking it off for the Halos. 

It was a similar story on Sunday, with Mariner starter Bryce Miller only able to go 4 ⅔ innings and the three runs he allowed proving to be too much for the anemic offense to overcome. 

Miller surrendered a leadoff home run to Taylor Ward, who extended his hitting streak to 12 games. While the Mariners countered with a Luke Raley solo home run and Robles sac fly to score Josh Rojas who had doubled and advanced on a Leo Rivas ground ball, that would be all the offense they could muster. After Miller surrendered two more runs on a base hit from Anthony Rendon, it was curtains on the game – and quite possibly, the season. 

The Mariners left 28 runners on base over the three game set in Los Angeles. They finished 5-8 on the season against the Angels, a team currently on pace to win 67 games this year. Seattle’s inability to handle the last place team in their division will almost certainly be highlighted as a primary contributor to their disappointing 2024 season. 

What’s next?

Following a heart crushing series loss to the Los Angeles Angels to begin a ten-game road trip, the Seattle Mariners travel to Oakland next for a four-game series against the Athletics (59-78), which will be the final road series that the Mariners will play in Oakland at the Coliseum. Seattle now sits at 5.5 games out of a wild card spot with 25 games remaining, and six games out of the top spot in the American League West which seems unattainable considering that the Houston Astros have been on a flaming hot pace since the month of June.

Check out Circling Seattle Sports’ previous Seattle Mariners articles here.

Check out Circling Seattle Sports’ previous articles with writing by Brittany Wisner here.

Cover photo by Kirby Lee/USA Today sports

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