That Intentional Walk Broke Bryan Woo's Streak and Sent Our M's Packing

Okay, Seattle, you gotta be kidding me. Our Mariners dropped another one to the Kansas City Royals yesterday, falling 8-6 and losing the series 2-1. This one stings, big time. We were up 1-0 in the fifth, cruising, and then one decision completely blew up in our faces and sparked the Royals' offense. You know exactly what I'm talking about: that intentional walk to Salvador Perez. Ugh.

The Pitching Puzzle and a Costly Decision

Let's talk about Bryan Woo. He's been on fire, only giving up two runs over his previous 18 innings. He came into yesterday's game at 4-3 and was looking sharp until the fifth. He walked Michael Massey, then gave up a two-strike bunt single to Kyle Isbel. Woo battled back, getting the next two outs, but then the coaching staff made the call: intentionally walk Vinnie Pasquantino to load the bases for Salvador Perez. Perez has been struggling this season, but he made us pay instantly, slapping a two-run single through the left side. Just like that, our 1-0 lead was gone. Carter Jensen followed up with a two-run double that knocked Woo from the game, making it 4-1. Woo finished with four runs, six hits, and two walks allowed in 4 2/3 innings. Later, Lucas Erceg gave up three runs in the ninth, though it wasn't a save situation. It was a tough one to watch unravel.

On the other side, Royals pitcher Seth Lugo, a former Cy Young runner-up, settled down after giving up a first-inning homer. He went into the seventh, allowing three runs, six hits, and two walks, picking up his first win since March 29. Gotta give him credit for that, even if it hurts to say.

Julio's Spark and the AL West Picture

Early on, it felt like we had this. Julio Rodriguez, our superstar, wasted no time, launching an 89-mph sinker into the left-field bullpen for a solo shot in the first inning. That put us up 1-0, and the T-Mobile Park faithful, even from afar, were probably going nuts. But after Perez's hit in the fifth, the Royals just kept adding on, scoring a run in the sixth, another in the seventh, and two more in the eighth to seal our fate. We're now on a two-game losing streak, sitting at 25-29 overall and 11-14 away. That puts us two games back from the Oakland A's, who are 26-26. Every game matters, especially when you're trying to climb back into contention in the AL West. We can't afford these kinds of losses, especially when we had the lead.

Our M's head to California tonight to face those A's on Monday. Emerson Hancock, sporting a 3-2 record and a 3.07 ERA, is getting the start. This is a huge game. We need to stop the slide and make a statement on the road. Let's see if Hancock can come through and kick off a winning road trip for the Emerald City!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.