Mariners suffer late meltdown, fall out of first place in AL West
The Seattle Times • • sports
Key Points:
- The Seattle Mariners scored more than three runs for the first time since June 12 but still lost 6-5 to the Cleveland Guardians after blowing a three-run lead in the eighth inning due to poor bullpen performance.
- The Mariners' bullpen, specifically Michael Rucker and Josh Simpson, gave up five runs in the eighth inning, turning a 4-1 lead into a 6-4 deficit, contributing to one of the worst losses of their season.
- With the loss, Seattle fell below .500 at 42-43, dropped out of first place in the AL West for the first time since May 26, and finished 2-4 on their six-game road trip.
- Offensive struggles continue for the Mariners, who have a .198/.285/.340 slash line with runners in scoring position in June and have failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities, leaving 14 runners on base in Sunday’s game.
- Players acknowledge the need for mental discipline and better execution, emphasizing the importance of playing hard for the full nine innings to improve their underwhelming season performance.
