Seattle Mariners starter George Kirby showcased what a top-end pitcher can do against a talented lineup as the Philadelphia Phillies offense struggled to find consistency at the plate in a 4-1 loss at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday night. After an electric nine-game winning streak, the momentum has swung in the other direction with the Phillies looking to avoid a sweep this afternoon in the series finale.
The Mariners offense was equally puzzled by Aaron Nola’s pitching repertoire despite the veteran starter taking his 10th loss of the season in last night's defeat.
The game was tied at one heading into the sixth inning, but the offense could not muster anything, and the close game changed as the Mariners scratched more across when interim manager Don Mattingly turned to the bullpen.
Bryce Harper's single to right field put early pressure on Kirby, who blew a huge sigh of relief after seeing the result of the next at-bat. Luis Arraez smacked a ball to the warning track in right field that would have left a mark on the forest-green wall if it had not landed in Dominic Canzone’s glove after a leaping catch ended the inning.
Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh and Justin Crawford combined forces in the second inning to open the scoring. Crawford’s RBI single with runners on the corners allowed Stott to dash home for the opening run. Philly threatened in the third inning behind a single from Arraez and a walk to Marsh, but Stott struck out on a high heater from Kirby to end the third frame.
After that punchout, the 28-year-old used his untouchable fastball to retire 14 straight hitters into the eighth inning, when a single from Harper ended his night. Kirby allowed six hits and one run, struck out nine, and walked one batter over 7 2/3 dominant innings against the Phillies.
Nola had eclectic stuff for his mid-week start against the Mariners. He allowed three hits, two earned runs, struck out seven, and walked three batters over six innings. The 33-year-old gave up his customary solo home run, a second-inning bomb to Cal Raleigh for his fourth leisurely trot around the bases in the series in just five at-bats, tying the game at 1-1.
Nola retired 11 of the next 12 hitters he faced, with a walk to Raleigh thrown into the mix as he sailed through five innings of work.
Seattle scratched a run across the board in the sixth behind a single and a steal from Julio Rodriguez before Josh Naylor’s RBI base hit to center field gave them a 2-1 lead. Nola struck out Raleigh to end the inning, but that was where his night ended after 92 pitches over six innings of work.
Mattingly turned to Orion Kerkering for the seventh inning, a move that had negative consequences pretty quickly. The 25-year-old reliever retired the first batter, then quickly loaded the bases. He hit Taylor Ward, allowed a single to J.P. Crawford, and walked Brock Rodden in a row. He would induce a pop-up from Randy Arozarena to record a second out, but that was enough for Mattingly to make the slow walk to the brown dirt to retrieve the ball from his reliever.
Philadelphia’s bench boss turned to Brooks Raley for a lefty-on-lefty matchup against Canzone, who promptly slapped a line drive to centerfield to extend the Mariners' lead to 4-1. While Raley allowed the hit, Kerkering was saddled with the two earned runs (and bloated ERA) on the play.
In the eighth, Jonathan Bowlan pitched a clean inning, thanks in large part to a diving grab from Harper on a line drive to right field.
Alec Bohm walked against Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz to start the ninth, but strikeouts from Stott and Marsh put the Phillies' back against the wall in the Pacific Northwest. Crawford walked to bring pinch-hitter Bryan De La Cruz to the dish as the game-tying run, but he struck out to set off the strobe light celebration at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday night.
Philly and Seattle clash this afternoon for the series finale at 4:10 p.m. Eastern. Jesús Luzardo takes the mound as Philadelphia looks to avoid getting swept away to start a nine-game West Coast trip.
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