Inside The Mariners

Seattle Mariners Blow Early Lead, Fall 8-4 to Cincinnati Reds in Interleague Game

The Mariners pitching staff had an uncharacteristically bad showing and a two-home run game from Dylan Moore went to waste Tuesday against the Reds.
Seattle Mariners right fielder Dylan Moore celebrates after hitting a home run against the Cincinnati Reds on April 15 at Great American Ballpark.
Seattle Mariners right fielder Dylan Moore celebrates after hitting a home run against the Cincinnati Reds on April 15 at Great American Ballpark. | Albert Cesare/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

In the first of a nine-game road trip, the Seattle Mariners had an eventful night on the road against the Cincinnati Reds. Third base prospect Ben Williamson hit a single in his first plate appearance and Dylan Moore had a multi-home run game. The Mariners also blew a 4-2 lead en route to an 8-4 loss against the Reds on Tuesday at Great American Ballpark. The loss dropped Seattle to 8-9 on the season.

In an uncharacteristically poor showing from the pitching staff, the Mariners walked more batters (seven) than they had strikeouts.

"Tough loss tonight," M's manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview Tuesday. "Thought Reds were able to get traffic on the bases there a couple of those innings and were able to convert those to runs. ... It's tough when you pitch from behind. They were able to get some of those big hits when they needed them."

Moore got Seattle on the board first with a solo home run in the top of the first inning. All the Mariners' runs came via hits from Moore. He had an RBI single in the top of the second to give the team a 2-0 lead. He had another homer — a two-run shot — in the top of the fifth. Moore's last shot gave the Mariners a 4-2 lead and accounted for their last runs of the game. He finished the game 3-for-5 with two runs and four RBIs.

Moore's dominant showing at the plate helped Seattle chase Cincinnati starting pitcher Nick Lodolo in the top of the fifth. Entering Tuesday, Lodolo hadn't allowed more than two runs this season.

The Reds returned the favor by getting Seattle starter Luis Castillo out of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Cincinnati scored four runs that inning — one on an RBI single from Gavin Lux and the other a three-run homer hit by Austin Hays. Castillo allowed six earned runs on seven hits (one home run) in 4.1 innings pitched. He walked four and struck out three.

The Mariners' bullpen didn't fair much better. The group of Collin Snider, Casey Legumina, Gregory Santos and Eduard Bazardo pitched the final 3.2 innings of the game. They allowed two earned runs on two hits. They walked two batters and struck out another pair. Matt McClain was walked with the bases loaded and Elly De La Cruz hit a groundout that scored Jose Trevino in the bottom of the eighth. Those plays resulted in the eventual final of 8-4.

It was a bad start to the three-series road trip, but Seattle will have an opportunity to bounce back in the final two games against the Reds.

The Mariners will play Cincinnati in Game 2 of the series at 3:40 p.m. PT on Tuesday. Bryce Miller will start for Seattle and Nick Martinez will start for the Reds.

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