The Seattle Mariners secured a 7-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in a closely contested game on July 5, 2024, showcasing both teams’ strengths and weaknesses. This match, held at Baltimore’s home turf, provided fans with an engaging display of baseball skills, highlighted by stellar performances from key players on both sides.
Mariners’ Offense: A Balanced Attack
The Mariners’ lineup delivered a well-rounded offensive performance, characterized by timely hitting and power displays. J.P. Crawford, leading the charge, went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, including a crucial two-out RBI that helped Seattle build an early lead. Crawford’s consistency at the plate was complemented by home runs from Mitch Garver and Julio Rodríguez. Garver’s homer in the seventh inning was particularly impactful, a two-run shot that extended Seattle’s lead and put the game out of Baltimore’s reach.
Julio Rodríguez, who has been a rising star for the Mariners, continued to impress with a 2-for-4 performance, including a solo home run in the fifth inning. His contributions were vital, as he also added an RBI, helping to pad Seattle’s lead. Ty France and Josh Rojas chipped in with key hits, while Crawford and Garver made sure to capitalize on runners in scoring positions, a factor that proved decisive in this match.
Orioles Hitting
| Hitters | Position | AB | R | H | RBI | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G. Henderson | SS | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .289 | .382 | .605 |
| H. Kjerstad | DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .263 | .378 | .474 |
| R. O’Hearn | 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .289 | .350 | .477 |
| A. Santander | RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .234 | .301 | .500 |
| J. Westburg | 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .280 | .329 | .508 |
| C. Cowser | LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .225 | .311 | .438 |
| C. Mullins | CF | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .220 | .265 | .388 |
| J. Mateo | 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .226 | .269 | .417 |
| J. McCann | C | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .217 | .246 | .333 |
| Team Total | 35 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
Batting Summary
- Doubles: Mullins (9, Miller); Henderson (18, Miller)
- Home Runs: Henderson (27, 3rd inning off Miller 1 on, 0 Out); Westburg (14, 8th inning off Thornton 0 on, 2 Out)
- RBI: Henderson 2 (60), Westburg (49)
- 2-Out RBI: Westburg
- GIDP: Mateo
- Team LOB: 7
- Team RISP: 0-7 (Henderson 0-1, Kjerstad 0-1, Mateo 0-2, O’Hearn 0-1, Santander 0-1, Mullins 0-1)
Fielding
- DP: 1 (Henderson-Mateo-O’Hearn)
Mariners Hitting
| Hitters | Position | AB | R | H | RBI | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.P. Crawford | SS | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .212 | .307 | .355 |
| M. Garver | DH | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .177 | .295 | .367 |
| C. Raleigh | C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .198 | .284 | .388 |
| L. Raley | LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .248 | .293 | .427 |
| J. Rodriguez | CF | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .247 | .296 | .336 |
| T. France | 1B | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .232 | .327 | .367 |
| J. Rojas | 3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .258 | .326 | .379 |
| M. Haniger | RF | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .209 | .285 | .332 |
| R. Bliss | 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .228 | .302 | .368 |
| Team Total | 30 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
Batting Summary
- Doubles: Crawford (12, Akin); Rodríguez (7, Baker)
- Home Runs: Garver (11, 7th inning off Akin 1 on, 2 Out); Rodríguez (8, 5th inning off Burnes 0 on, 0 Out)
- RBI: Crawford 3 (28), Garver 2 (33), Rodríguez (30)
- 2-Out RBI: Crawford 3, Garver 2
- GIDP: Bliss
- Team LOB: 2
- Team RISP: 2-8 (Rojas 0-1, Bliss 0-2, Raleigh 0-1, Garver 1-1, Crawford 1-2, Raley 0-1)
Baserunning
- SB: Crawford (5, 2nd base off Burnes/McCann); Rodríguez (18, 3rd base off Baker/McCann)
Fielding
- DP: 1 (Crawford-Bliss-France)
- Assists: Haniger (Henderson at 3rd base)
Orioles Pitching
| Pitchers | Decision | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR | PC-ST | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C. Burnes | – | 6.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 94-62 | 2.32 |
| B. Baker | L, 1-1 | 0.2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 24-13 | 5.91 |
| K. Akin | – | 1.1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 27-18 | 3.83 |
| Team | 8.0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 145-93 |
Pitching Summary
- First-pitch strikes/Batters Faced: Akin 4/6; Burnes 12/22; Baker 2/5
- Called strikes-Swinging strikes-Foul balls-In play strikes: Akin-4-5-6-3; Burnes-11-18-18-14; Baker-3-2-7-1
- Ground Balls-Fly Balls: Akin 0-1; Burnes 4-7
- Game Scores: C Burnes 61
- Mariners Pitching
- Pitching Summary
- WP: Miller
- First-pitch strikes/Batters Faced: Stanek 2/3; Voth 1/1; Thornton 3/4; Muñoz 2/4; Miller 12/25
- Called strikes-Swinging strikes-Foul balls-In play strikes: Stanek-2-5-1-1; Voth-2-1-1-0; Thornton-4-2-3-2; Muñoz-3-2-1-3; Miller-17-9-19-18
- Ground Balls-Fly Balls: Stanek 0-1; Thornton 0-1; Muñoz 2-0; Miller 2-8
- Game Scores: B Miller 5
Mariners’ Pitching: A Collective Effort
Seattle’s pitching staff executed a well-coordinated effort to suppress the Orioles’ offense. Bryce Miller started the game for the Mariners and delivered a solid 5.2 innings of work, allowing eight hits and two earned runs while striking out six batters. Despite facing pressure from Baltimore’s hitters, Miller managed to keep the Mariners in the game, utilizing a mix of pitches to navigate through tough spots.
The Mariners’ bullpen played a crucial role in securing the win. Austin Voth, Ryne Stanek, Trent Thornton, and Andrés Muñoz each contributed to maintaining the Mariners’ lead. Stanek, who earned his sixth win of the season, was particularly effective, pitching a clean inning with two strikeouts. Thornton allowed one run, but with the Mariners’ offense providing insurance runs, the damage was minimal. Muñoz closed out the game with a solid inning, allowing one hit but no runs, effectively sealing the victory for Seattle.
Orioles’ Offense: Missed Opportunities
On the other side, the Baltimore Orioles struggled to convert their offensive efforts into runs, despite out-hitting the Mariners with ten hits. Gunnar Henderson was a bright spot for Baltimore, going 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. His solo shot in the third inning temporarily gave the Orioles momentum, but the team’s inability to hit with runners in scoring positions (0-7 RISP) proved costly.
Jordan Westburg also contributed with a home run, adding another run in the eighth inning, but by then, the Orioles were already trailing by a significant margin. Cedric Mullins had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4, but like many of his teammates, he couldn’t capitalize on opportunities to drive in runs.
Baltimore’s lineup, which included key players like Ryan O’Hearn, Anthony Santander, and Jorge Mateo, struggled against Seattle’s pitchers. The lack of timely hitting and failure to bring runners home, particularly in situations with runners on base, was a major factor in their defeat.
Orioles’ Pitching: A Tough Night on the Mound
The Orioles’ pitching staff had a challenging night, facing a Mariners lineup that was aggressive and efficient. Corbin Burnes started for Baltimore and pitched six innings, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out six. While Burnes managed to keep the Orioles in the game early on, his pitch count rose quickly, and he was unable to pitch deeper into the game, which put pressure on Baltimore’s bullpen.
Baltimore’s relievers struggled to contain Seattle’s offense. Bryan Baker, who took the loss, allowed three runs in just 0.2 innings of work, including a critical two-run homer by Mitch Garver. Keegan Akin also had difficulty, surrendering two runs on two hits over 1.1 innings. Despite the bullpen’s efforts, they could not prevent the Mariners from pulling away late in the game.
Fielding and Baserunning: Highlights and Lowlights
Fielding played a crucial role in the game, with both teams executing key defensive plays. The Mariners’ defense was highlighted by a double play involving J.P. Crawford, Ryan Bliss, and Ty France, which helped to stymie an Orioles rally. Additionally, Mitch Haniger made a pivotal outfield assist, throwing out Gunnar Henderson at third base, preventing a potential scoring opportunity for Baltimore.
The Orioles also executed a double play of their own, with Henderson, Mateo, and O’Hearn combining to turn a key double play that temporarily halted Seattle’s offensive momentum. However, the Orioles committed one crucial error that did not directly lead to runs but reflected the team’s struggles to maintain consistency throughout the game.
On the baserunning front, both teams were active, with Crawford and Rodríguez each stealing bases for the Mariners. These aggressive moves on the bases kept the Orioles’ defense under constant pressure and contributed to Seattle’s overall success in the game.
Conclusion:
The Seattle Mariners’ 7-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles was a result of effective hitting, solid pitching, and taking advantage of the Orioles’ missed opportunities. While Baltimore showed flashes of offensive potential, their inability to deliver in clutch situations ultimately led to their downfall. Seattle, on the other hand, executed their game plan effectively, with contributions from both their lineup and pitching staff, securing an important win as the season progresses.
