The Mariners absolutely dropped a bomb on the Tampa Bay Rays today, snagging an 8-2 victory on the road! That's the kind of performance we bleed green and blue for. But hold up, because while our boys were lighting it up, out in Cincinnati, some familiar faces were making noise in an 8-4 Cubs win over the Reds. The Cubs sealed a successful 4-2 road trip, but for us here in the Emerald City, there was another name that caught our eye: Eugenio Suárez. Our old pal, that dude, launched his second homer in two days off Cubs pitching! Yeah, his second in two days, and his 38th time going deep against the Cubs overall. The Reds actually took the lead in the third off Matthew Boyd with Suárez's two-run shot. You can't help but wonder what could have been if the Mariners had decided to keep that power bat, especially when the Cubs now have to face him in three series this year instead of just one.
The Cubs' Rough First, Then a Surge
It wasn't all sunshine for the Cubs, even in their win. Today's first-inning runs were their first in the opening inning on this six-game road trip, after being blanked in seven of eight previous games. Pete Crow-Armstrong, whose plate discipline is through the roof, led off with a walk and stole his 24th base. That's pure speed, second only to Nasim Nuñez in the NL! Seiya Suzuki then flew out, letting PCA take third, and Alex Bregman doubled him in for the first run. Michael Busch then followed with another double to score Bregman, making it 2-0 early. Before that, Matthew Boyd was pitching out of trouble, even striking out Suárez in the first inning with runners on. But in the third, the Reds took the lead with four runs off Boyd, including that Suárez two-run homer.Bregman Blasts the Game Open
The Cubs didn't waste any time evening up the score again after the Reds took the lead, scoring a pair in the fourth. Carson Kelly walked, then went to third on a double by Michael Busch. After Nico Hoerner grounded out, Ian Happ walked to load the bases. Then Kevin Alcántara, who got a rare start at designated hitter, hit a ball that bounced off second base for a single, scoring two runs and tying the game at 4-4. That 4-4 tie held until the seventh, when the Cubs truly blew it open. Dansby Swanson kicked things off with a double, and then Crow-Armstrong singled, scoring Swanson. And then, the big moment: Bregman stepped up again with his three-run blast, his second straight game with a homer, which gave the Cubs that commanding four-run lead. What a day for Bregman, going 3-for-5 with four RBI and sealing the 8-4 win. The Cubs are now done with Suárez and the Reds until September, so they get a break from him at least. So, while some teams deal with former players haunting them, us Mariners fans just saw our squad put up eight runs on the road in an 8-2 victory against the Rays! That's what we want to see, folks! Keep that momentum rolling and let's keep showing the league what Emerald City baseball is all about!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.