Inside The Mariners

Seattle Mariners Plagued by Injuries, Defensive Miscues in 8-4 Loss to Miami Marlins

The Marlins took advantage of Logan Gilbert's brief start and the Mariners' poor defense to take the first of the three-game series.
Teren Kowatsch|
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (left) and J.P. Crawford (middle) talk to pitcher Casey Lawrence during a game against the Miami Marlins on April 25 at T-Mobile Park.
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (left) and J.P. Crawford (middle) talk to pitcher Casey Lawrence during a game against the Miami Marlins on April 25 at T-Mobile Park. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

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Seattle MarinersMiami Marlins

SEATTLE — Almost everything that could go wrong for the Seattle Mariners did in an 8-4 loss against the Miami Marlins on Friday.

Mariners starter Logan Gilbert pitched three immaculate innings before being pulled due to right forearm tightness. Six of the Marlins' eight runs came with two outs after a fielding error on a routine groundout that would have been the final out of the inning. The loss dropped Seattle to 14-12 on the season.

"Obviously a tough one tonight," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview. "Logan with a little forearm stiffness and we'll know a lot more about that tomorrow. ... Tried to sneak back in that game. And they fought, they fought back. Just a tough one all around."

Dylan Moore gave Seattle the first advantage of the game with a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the second. Moore's homer was the first hit or base for either team. And at the rate Gilbert was pitching, that could hav been enough. Gilbert allowed no hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out three before he was pulled.

Gilbert said he felt the forearm tightness arose in warm-ups. He intentionally chose not to throw his splitter to not risk worsening his ailment.

"I felt it a little bit warming up. Just never really went away," Gilbert said in a postgame interview. " ... I was talking with the trainers just throughout — trying to stay loose. Stuff like that. It didn't really get a ton worse, which is good. Just a little tight. ... Hopefully nothing serious, and long season and that kind of stuff. Just hate putting the team in a situation like that."

With Gilbert out and several high-leverage relievers down for the evening, the Mariners turned toward 37 year-old veteran Casey Lawrence for long relief.

Lawrence faced the minimum in the fourth. Then came the crucial error in the top of the fifth. Miami had a runner on first with two outs. Right fielder Kyle Stowers hit a routine groundout to Moore. The Gold Glove-winning infielder was unable to gather the ball and was dinged with a fielding error on the play.

The Marlins didn't let that error go unpunished. Liam Hicks hit an RBI single to tie the game, Javier Sanoja gave Miami the lead with his own RBI single, Xavier Edwards hit a two-run single to bolster the advantage to 4-1 and Jesus Sanchez hit a two-run homer to cap off the scoring in the fifth. Miami entered the fifth trailing 1-0 and led 6-1 after. All six runs were unearned.

Seattle wasn't quite out of it. Ben Williamson and J.P. Crawford both got on-base in the bottom of the sixth via respective singles. Two at-bats after Crawford's plate appearance, Jorge Polanco hit a three-run homer to right field to cut the Marlins' lead down to 6-4.

"These guys — that's what they do," Wilson said. "They come back and that's what they did tonight again. Just a chance to come back and try to make it close. ... That's what these guys are so good at and we see it time and time again. And tonight was another great job there."

The Mariners had a runner in scoring position one inning later after Rowdy Tellez hit a lead-off double, but failed to bring him home.

Agustin Ramirez put the game away in the top of the eighth with a two-run homer to left-center field for the eventual final of 8-4.

The eighth inning was Lawrence's final of the game. He pitched 5.0 innings, struck out four and allowed eight runs (two earned) on 10 hits (one home run).

This was a game of what-ifs. If Gilbert didn't get hurt or Stowers was thrown out, Seattle could have won. But the Marlins ultimately came out the victory.

The Mariners will have more information on the plan for Gilbert and any testing for him on Saturday.

Seattle will play Miami in Game 2 of the series at 6:40 p.m. PT on Saturday. Luis Castillo will start for the Mariners and Connor Gillispie will start for the Marlins.

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Teren Kowatsch
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