A Seattle Sports Weekend
This was a good weekend for sports in Seattle. Last night, the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos who are now led by the Seahawks former quarterback, Russell Wilson. Until he left Seattle at the end of the last season, Wilson was as revered a figure in Seattle as one could imagine. Saturday night the Seattle Sounders soccer team defeated Austin FC 3-0 with two goals by super star forward Raúl Ruidíaz and an own goal off the back of Austin centerback Ruben Gabrielsen. But the highlight of the weekend was the Seattle Mariners’ final game of a three-game series against the World Champion Atlanta Braves.
Seattle had the game well in hand starting with lead off batter Julio Rodriguez’ first inning home run on the second pitch of the game. The Mariners scored three more runs in the fourth inning. Eugenio Suarez got a homer in the fifth inning. The Braves picked up runs in the fourth and eighth, and the Mariners went into the ninth inning ahead of the Braves 6-2.
Manager Scott Servais brought in his usually reliable closer Diego Castillo, who twitches alot in his wind up to delivering a pitch. He walked the first two batters who then moved up to second and third on a grounder to first base by William Contreras for the first out. Vaughn Grissom went down for the second out. With the count full at 3-2 and the Mariners one strike away from the win, Michael Harris III launched a 433-foot three run shot to the right field stands and cut the Seattle lead to 6-5.
While most of us were wondering why Servais left Castillo on the mound after back-to-back walks, fast ball reliever Paul Sewald came in to finish the game with two outs on the board. Better late than never, right? We thought. Sewald gave up a single to Eddie Rosario and then Robbie Grossman followed with a two-run shot to right field to put Atlanta in front 7-6. Holy crap! What happened? Sewald then nailed Ronald Acuña Jr. with a 93-mph fastball and after he went on to steal second, it sure looked like the wheels were coming off. We’ve seen this Mariners’ movie before, and it usually doesn’t have a happy ending.
The Mariners’ lead off batter in the bottom of the ninth was rookie Julio Rodriguez. He made it to the final round in this year’s All Star Game Home Run Derby, which was a hint of good things to come. He struck again, hammering a 1-1 pitch to drive it out and tie the game at 7-7. The 45,000 fans who came to the game were glad they didn’t leave early. Pinch hitter Ty France, who didn’t start the game on account of a sore wrist, popped out. With two outs, Suarez came up and hit his second home run of the game for the walk off win to end the game.
As the late Mariners’ broadcaster Dave Niehaus used to say, “my o my!”