Orioles' Victory Remains Steady Despite Cal Raleigh's Valiant Efforts, Securing Sweep Over Mariners
In the world of baseball, Adam Jude's coverage of the Seattle Mariners shines brighter than ever. This summer sensation, Cal Raleigh, is taking the city by storm with his exceptional displays at the plate. But as the season wears on, the Mariners are starting to feel the weight of one-man showing, aren't they?
With Raleigh's heroics gracing the stands, expect a spectacle. However, during a recent skirmish against the Baltimore Orioles, even his unparalleled performances couldn't save the Mariners from a 4-3 defeat.
"We can't wait around," Raleigh lamented, hopefully pointing towards a more active approach in the upcoming games, "Creating our own luck, creating our own chaos on the bases."
Raleigh single-handedly brought three runs for the Mariners, currently standing at 32-29. The team's struggles to perform beyond their star catcher are evident, as they ended their homestand with a measly 3.4 runs per game.
Averaging just 3.4 runs and finishing with a 3-6 record on their homestand, the Mariners have shown an unwelcome consistency. Their home performance this season leaves much to be desired, with an 82-to-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio on this homestand alone.
"Another close one today. Another tough one," manager Dan Wilson shared after the loss.
Even a powerful five-inning effort from Raleigh, featuring a two-run home run, couldn't prevent the Orioles from sweeping the Mariners. The game-winning runs came in the sixth inning, thanks to a pair of homers from Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, putting the Orioles ahead 4-3.
Amidst the gloomy landscape, Raleigh stands tall, leading the AL with 49 runs batted in this season. However, his remarkable performance pales in comparison to the underwhelming performance of the rest of the lineup.
Since May 20, the Mariners' lineup has taken a dramatic nose-dive, plummeting from an impressive 123 wRC+ (an excellent offensive performance) in April to a below-average 96 wRC+ in May. Their running game has become stagnant as well, with just 19 steals in 31 games, and their walk rate has dropped significantly, currently sitting at 7.7%.
With the team collectively struggling, Raleigh urges a more aggressive approach, "We gotta put some more pressure on the pitcher. We can't let him get comfortable out there."
In an unfortunate twist, the Mariners' promising pitcher Bryan Woo was unable to hold the lead, yielding back-to-back homers that cost them the game.
Looking ahead, the Mariners gear up for a six-game road trip through Anaheim and Phoenix, beginning on Friday against the Angels. Despite the recent struggles, Raleigh remains optimistic, "It's 162 games; you're gonna go through it. It's gonna happen. We just gotta flush it."
A tough loss, but the Mariners know it's part of the game. Time to move on and create their own luck.
Although Cal Raleigh's impressive performances have kept the Seattle Mariners in contention, the team's reliance on him seems to be a concern as they face a 3-6 record during their homestand. With a below-average 96 wRC+ and only 19 steals in 31 games, the team's offensive performance has notably dwindled since May. Raleigh, however, persists in urging his teammates to be more aggressive, believing that doing so is crucial for success in the upcoming games, especially during their six-game road trip through Anaheim and Phoenix.
