Mariners squander opportunities: 'We should have won that game'

SEATTLE -- For most of Saturday afternoon, the Mariners looked like a team that could overcome a few offensive hiccups and recapture the late-innings mojo that it thrived on in each of the past two seasons. Instead, they left T-Mobile Park with one of their more stinging losses so far in 2023, a 4-3 defeat to the White Sox.

Paul Sewald surrendered a walk and two singles in the top of the ninth inning for just his second blown save in 15 tries, then Tayler Saucedo gave up an RBI single in the 11th that put the Mariners behind for good. The tying and go-ahead hits came from Zach Remillard, a 29-year-old Minor League journeyman who was making his MLB debut.

Less than 24 hours after Seattle was able to overcome 11 stranded baserunners thanks to a clutch, late homer from Teoscar Hernández, its 12 left on base Saturday loomed much larger in the wake of defeat. The Mariners went just 2-for 14 with runners in scoring position.

"There are some games where you just tip your cap,” said J.P. Crawford, who put the Mariners on the board with a first-pitch homer in the first inning. “But today was one of those days where we should have won that game.

“We’re getting runners on, but we’re not getting the clutch hit to bring guys in [and score]. ... If we want to be good, if we want to be better, we’ve got to start dialing in and getting those runs in by any means.”

Here are a few moments that underscore the frustration from Seattle’s shortstop and the rest of the clubhouse:

Inning: 2nd
Batter: Ty France
Situation: Bases loaded, two outs

One day after stranding the bases loaded twice, the Mariners did so again -- but before the stakes were elevated. France worked into a 2-1 count, then punched a soft flyout to right field to halt the rally. The fastball from Lucas Giolito was in the strike zone but high and inside, one of France’s weak spots against heaters. He’s at his best against pitches on the outer half, which is why he’s so often thrown inside and has 11 hit-by-pitches.

Inning: 9th
Batter: Julio Rodríguez
Situation: Runner on first, two outs

Moments after Crawford drew a 10-pitch walk after falling behind 0-2, Rodríguez swung through an out-of-zone sweeper from Aaron Bummer, who the White Sox had just installed explicitly to face Rodríguez. It was a continuation of struggles in the big moment for the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, who entered play with a .546 OPS in high-leverage situations compared to better marks in low (.651) and medium (.887), per Baseball-Reference.

Inning: 10th
Batter: France
Situation: Runner on second base, no outs

Just after the White Sox spoiled their own chance to take a lead with the automatic runner, France swung through a 2-2 sweeper that dipped below the zone, low and away. It was a missed opportunity given that the Mariners had their best contact hitter at the plate (France) and their fastest runner in scoring position as the automatic runner (Rodríguez).

Inning: 10th
Batter: Cal Raleigh
Situation: Runners on second and third base, one out

After France struck out, Chicago intentionally walked red-hot Hernández and then Rodríguez and Hernández completed a double steal. But pinch-hitting Raleigh, batting from his weaker spot on the right side, also whiffed through a sweeper from Bummer -- this one in the dirt. Eugenio Suárez then grounded out to end the inning.

Inning: 11th
Batter: José Caballero
Situation: Two on, one out

The Mariners had fallen behind by this point, but they still had the winning run on first base after AJ Pollock reached via an error. But Caballero got too far in front of a 93.6 mph fastball from Jesse Scholtens and popped out. Crawford then followed with a game-ending groundout to the second baseman.

“I think we just need to realize the pressure’s on the pitcher, not on the batter in the box,” Crawford said. “We’ve just got to wait for our pitch. Sometimes we get a little too antsy up there and swinging at some bad pitches and end up getting ourselves out.”

Over the past two weeks, the Mariners have knocked the opposing starter out before the sixth inning, a formula that has correlated to a 22-15 record in such games this year. Their revamped -- and pesky -- approach has mostly worked. But even the good teams will struggle to overcome the type of shortcomings Seattle had in Saturday’s biggest moments.