Cal Raleigh's Solo Shot Not Enough as Bullpen Gives Away Lead Late Against Oakland

The Mariners came into Monday night at T-Mobile Park riding high after sweeping the Rangers over the weekend, but that success came with a price. Closer Andres Muñoz, lefty setup man Gabe Speier, and the ultra-versatile Eduard Bazardo were all unavailable due to heavy usage in recent games, leaving manager Dan Wilson to improvise down the stretch. Then Emerson Hancock lasted just five innings. The result: a 6-4 loss to Oakland in the series opener that should have never been close.

Raleigh Puts Mariners on Top Early

The Mariners jumped Hancock's counterpart J.T. Ginn right out of the gate. Working a 3-1 count in the first inning, Cal Raleigh got a sinker away and sent it into the Mariners' bullpen for a solo shot, his third of the season. The approach looked cleaner too, echoing the process that produced so many homers last year. Julio Rodriguez followed with a single up the middle, immediately stole second, and scored on Josh Naylor's double down the first-base line. Canzone's towering fly ball to right in the second inning carried just over the wall for a leadoff homer. Just like that, Seattle had a 3-0 lead.

The Bullpen Crumbles When It Matters Most

Oakland chipped away early. Carlos Cortes smashed a solo homer to deep right-center to start the fourth. Hancock gave up back-to-back homers to Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers to start the sixth, ending his night after five innings, three runs allowed on seven hits with three strikeouts.

But the real damage came in the eighth. Casey Legumina, who rarely pitches in such late-game leverage situations, gave up a leadoff hustle double to Tyler Soderstrom and a single to Jacob Wilson to put runners on first and third. Legumina walked Jeff McNeill to load the bases. Max Muncy delivered a sac fly to right field that was deep enough to score Soderstrom. Lawrence Butler added two more runs with a single to right, and the A's had grabbed a 6-3 lead.

Meanwhile, the Mariners offense went silent. Leo Rivas doubled into the right-field corner in the ninth to score Cole Young, but that was it. The team went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven runners on base. J.P. Crawford popped out and Raleigh flew out to shallow right to end it.

That's two wins you can't get back, and one the Mariners had every chance to keep.

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