SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 02: Andres Gimenez #0, Josh Naylor #22, Amed Rosario #1 and Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate their 6-5 win against the Seattle Mariners during the tenth inning at T-Mobile Park on April 02, 2023 in Seattle, Washington.Photo: Steph Chambers/Getty Images
The Cleveland Guardians and Seattle Mariners traded blows throughout the series finale, neither team maintaining a lead for long as the other kept coming back in a matinee thriller that lasted 10 innings. When the dust settled, the Guardians triumphed, winning 6-5 and taking three out of four games in Seattle.
Seattle got on the board after Julio Rodriguez launched his first home run of the year on Cal Quantrill's first pitch to briefly put the Mariners ahead 1-0. With two outs and two runners on, Mike Zunino slugged a three-run homer, the first of Zunino's three extra base hits, to put Cleveland ahead 3-1.
In the bottom of the third the first five Mariners reached base. Rodriguez singled on the first pitch, but got picked off attempting to steal second base. Kolton Wong walked, Ty France and Eugenio Suarez hit singles to help Wong score. After the latter two advanced on a wild pitch, they scored on Cal Raleigh's double to put Seattle ahead 4-3. After a scoreless fourth, Zunino started the fifth with a double, then advanced to third on Myles Straw's bunt single. Steven Kwan grounded into a double play that allowed Zunino to score and tie the contest, 4-4. The Mariners retook the lead in the bottom of the frame - Suarez doubled to centerfield, reached third on another wild pitch, then scored on the next play after Raleigh reached on a fielding error, putting Seattle ahead 5-4.
In the seventh, Zunino doubled to right field for his third extra base hit before getting lifted for Will Brennan who pinch ran. With no outs, Straw moved Brennan to third with a flyout to right field, then with one out, Kwan came through with an RBI single to score Brennan and tie the game 5-5.
Fast forward to the 10th inning: starting with Steven Kwan, the ghost runner, on second base, the Guardians loaded the bases on a pair of walks with one out. Josh Naylor, pinch-hitting for Oscar Gonzalez, grounded the ball back to the pitcher who forced out Kwan at home plate, but then a throwing error to first base allowed Jose Ramirez to score from second base to put the Guardians ahead 6-5. Enter Trevor Stephan in the bottom of the frame: with one out and Sam Haggerty on third after a steal, Stephan struck out Suarez, then induced a fly out to seal the Guardians' third straight win. Stephan earned his first save this season while Enyel De Los Santos picked up the win.
The bullpen allowed one hit in 5 1/3 shutout innings and includes an historical debut as Tim Herrin struck out all four batters he faced. For Cleveland, Cal Quantrill pitched 4 2/3 innings, gave up five runs (four earned) on eight hits, and struck out three batters. For Seattle, Marco Gonzales tossed five innings, gave up four runs on six hits, and struck out one batter.
Last season the Mariners won six out of seven games against the Guardians, and held Cleveland to 11 totals runs. In this four-game series the Guardians scored 17.
The Guardians (3-1) head to the bay to start a three-game series with the Oakland Athletics (1-2) tomorrow at 9:40 PM. Zach Plesac will take the mound for the Guardians and James Kaprielian will toe the rubber for the Athletics. Plesac did not face the Athletics last season, but James Kaprielian lost both starts against the Guardians. After winning the first game, 2-1, Oakland was outscored 19-1 between the last two games, both losses.