Anderson goes 7 scoreless innings at Coors in best start of career

DENVER -- Kade Anderson ensured that the Mariners will live to see another day.

But his career-best outing in Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Rockies fed much more into what the Mariners are dreaming of in the long term -- for 2027 and beyond.

Anderson completed the seventh inning for the first time since earning his MLB callup on Aug. 22, scattering just three hits with zero walks, seven strikeouts, and above all, zero runs. He needed just 84 pitches to go that distance, which was right around the threshold the club has been targeting as he operates in his first pro season.

“There are so many valuable resources you can talk to in that locker room,” Anderson said. “And everyone has helped me in a lot of ways, and it all comes back to execution.”

The day wasn’t without a scare, however, as Andrés Muñoz made it a one-run game by surrendering a solo homer to Hunter Goodman in the ninth, then experienced a right knee issue that forced him to exit.

Muñoz will undergo imaging when the club returns to Seattle, at which point there will be a more detailed update.

Eduard Bazardo took over, inheriting one runner that Muñoz walked, then issued a free pass himself. That put the tying run on second base and winning run on first with two outs, but the pivot reliever was able to get out of it with a three-pitch strikeout of Brett Sullivan.

And because the Mariners were victorious, they staved off elimination within the American League West race until at least Tuesday. However, they can be eliminated from the AL Wild Card race with a White Sox win later Sunday.

“It was just one of those ballgames where sometimes the bats aren't swinging it and you’ve got to scratch runs any way you can,” said Dominic Canzone, who drove in Seattle’s two runs on a single and a double, each of which scored a runner from first base. “So, just getting your head down and hustling.”

Even with Colorado facing its fourth straight 100-loss season, Coors Field is still a hitter’s haven -- making Sunday’s outing all the more striking.

Anderson became just the second starter this season to pitch at least seven scoreless innings at Coors, joining San Diego’s Randy Vásquez, who did so on April 21. Only four pitchers did so last season.

Adding in his youth, Anderson became just the second pitcher ever to throw seven scoreless innings at Coors within their first six career starts. The other is Kyle Freeland, Colorado’s homegrown arm and longest-tenured player, who went that distance on April 23, 2017.

“We talked a lot about making adjustments his last time,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said, referencing Anderson’s most recent outing, a loss on Monday in Anaheim. “And when you see something like that, and the adjustments that he made today, it was phenomenal.”

Indeed, in Sunday’s gritty effort, Anderson didn’t appear to break a sweat.

The left-hander faced only two legitimate threats, surrendering consecutive singles to Cole Carrigg and Adael Amador in the second inning and a triple to speedster Jake McCarthy in the sixth.

Both traffic jams occurred with one out, leaving the Rockies with ample opportunity to pounce, especially as the Mariners didn’t have much going at the plate beyond Canzone. But Anderson cleared each in what amounted to a big step forward.

In that first jam, Anderson was aided by a diving grab from third baseman Brock Rodden for the third out.

Then in the later jam, he dotted a changeup at the bottom of the zone for a called strikeout to Connor Norby (aided by a successful ABS challenge from Cal Raleigh) before throwing a gnarly back-foot slider to Goodman in an 0-2 count for a swinging strikeout.

It was in two-strike counts when the Angels did most of their damage in Anderson’s last time out, which led to a mentality adjustment.

“I was just throwing too many strikes in two-strike counts,” Anderson said. “So, just focusing on execution. Like, throwing the curveballs, getting them down. That's been a big thing for me. I felt like I was just leaving so many over the plate. And then the fastballs up today were good as well.

“And just once again, this is the standard. It's something to build off of, and I’m excited to get back out there again on Saturday.”

Indeed, Anderson is expected to make one more start before Sunday’s regular-season finale -- with the chance to build towards a promising finish.