The Sports Xchange
Mariners’ offense suddenly finds its footing
Midway through Tuesday’s game against the Rangers in Texas, Mariners watchers were wondering if Seattle would ever hit.
Seattle had come off a seven-game homestand in which it played the final six games without getting more than eight hits, then on Monday got just seven hits against the Rangers in a 4-2 loss.
Through the seventh inning Tuesday, it was more of the same. Seattle had been held to seven hits, although the Mariners were leading the Rangers 4-3 at the time.
Then in the eighth inning, the dam broke — six runs on six hits. Following that was an eight-run second inning Wednesday, then an eight-run third inning as well. The Mariners finished with 20 hits and 21 runs Wednesday.
Not only was it the most runs scored by a major league team this year, but it was more runs than Seattle had scored in the previous five games. And the 10 runs Tuesday and 21 Wednesday were uncharted territory, the club having scored in double digits just once in its first 51 games.
Each starter had at least one hit and scored at least one run Wednesday, but the question now is whether the past 11 innings — 27 runs, 27 hits — are a fluke or a new phase for the club.
Seattle has now scored 218 runs, which ranks ninth in the American League. But on Tuesday morning, they’d ranked 12th, and the last two games have pushed them past the Twins, the Angels and the Rays.
It will take a sustained offensive surge to validate the new ranking, and it won’t be easy. Next up are the White Sox, who have won eight straight to move into first place in the AL Central.
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