The Mariners 2022 ALDS, Game 1. (Part 2 of 3)
This is part 2 of a series about the Seattle Mariners baseball team Postseason. The other parts are linked below:
Part 3, the conclusion:
Part 1, The beginning:
The Seattle Mariners post season story continues…
I write this on Thursday, October 13th. When I last wrote, the Mariners had a miraculous come back victory against the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Wild Card series. A best of three. The Mariners won 2/3 and advanced to the American League Division Series to face the Houston Astros.
Game 1 was on Monday.
Houston, having the better season record and the best in the American League, has home field advantage in this series. Three out of a possible five games would be played there. Generally, teams have a better record at their home stadium. This means that the Mariners would have a steeper mountain to climb on their path to the World Series.
The World Series is the penultimate series of 5-7 games that determine the best team in baseball. The two teams that make the post season from the American and National League face each other for a trophy and championship. The winner is the best team that season.
Climbing mountains ain’t a problem here. Seattle is surrounded by mountains. Most days you can see Mount Rainier. You can see Mount Rainer or the Cascades from T-Mobile Park, where the Mariners play home games. The Triple A affiliate, Tacoma Rainiers are named after the mountain. Maybe this is why the mariners have played better when the stakes have been so high before and won. They needed to climb a mountain.
The Mountain
The Houston Astros won 107 games this season. They are 55-26 at home. Against the Mariners, they have a 12-7 record on the season. Allowed only 65 runs in those games. Scored 75. Source. Since 2013, they have been the team to beat to become champion.
We wouldn’t have it any other way. This year, this postseason, it’s personal.
Game one, best of 5, ALDS at Houston.
I was pumped going into this game Monday. That Saturday comeback win exorcised demons. It uplifted me and healed years of letdowns from watching the mariners lose so much or choke late in the season. Bring it on, Astros.
The Mariners started strong, with 6 runs through the 4th inning. But the Astros kept it close, scoring three off a solid start by pitcher Logan Gilbert. The bullpens took over, and while the Astros kept getting hits, no runs were scored. The mariners added another run in the 7th inning, and the score was Mariners 7, Astros 3.
The Astros struck back with a single, then a 2-run Homerun by Alex Bregman. The score was Mariners 7, Astros 5 after 8 innings.
The Mariners had a chance to add on in the top of the 9th… But we’re easily put away by Raphael Montero.
Bottom of the 9th, Astros to bat. Mariners pitcher got the first hitter out on 2 pitches with a ground out. 1 out. Hensley to pitch hit. After 7 pitches, he was hit by the 8th and got on base as the potential tie run. Next batter, All star Jose Altuve was struck out. 2 outs. Short stop Jeremy Pena worked a 1 ball 2 strike at bat into a single. 2 runners on. 2 outs.
Manager Scott Servais changes pitchers from Pat Sewald to Robbie Ray, usually a starter with not much relief experience. Unusual but can happen in the post season. Up to bat, Slugger and top hitter in the major leagues… Jordan Alvarez.
Alvarez already had 2 RBIs this game. One swing can can end the game for Houston as he has serious power. He hit 37 home runs in the regular season.
2 runners on, 2 outs. The second pitch…
Alvarez hots a home run and ends the game. Astros 8, Mariners 7. Fuck. So close and we have our hearts ripped out at the bottom of the 9th…
We lose game 1.🙁
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