Gonzales solid again, but bats go quiet
This browser does not support the video element.
BALTIMORE -- In the Mariners’ season filled with the expected ups and downs of youth and roster turnover, Marco Gonzales has been the one consistent force.
Since taking over as Seattle’s No. 1 starter this spring, the 27-year-old has gone about his business in impressive fashion, including seven innings of two-run ball in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to the Orioles at Camden Yards in the Mariners’ final road game of the campaign.
All that Gonzales lacked in this one was run support, as he allowed just three hits with two walks and four strikeouts in a sunny afternoon pitching duel with Baltimore lefty John Means, one of this year’s top American League Rookie of the Year Award candidates.
Since posting a victory in Seattle’s Opening Day win over Oakland in Tokyo back in March, Gonzales has put up career highs in wins and innings pitched. He stands 16-12 with a 4.09 ERA and one start remaining on Saturday in Seattle against the A’s.
“I just feel good about giving my team a chance to win every time out,” Gonzales said. “That’s the most gratifying thing. Staying consistent with my work and coming here every day to help the team win.”
It speaks volumes that the Mariners are 17-16 in games started by Gonzales, compared to 49-74 with anyone else on the mound.
“Marco has been great,” said Seattle manager Scott Servais. “What a year. He’s coming up close on 200 innings, and there’s not many guys in this league that can still do that. And right there today, if we get a big hit here or there, he wins another ballgame.”
The savvy southpaw gave up a run on two hits in the first inning on Sunday, then rolled through five scoreless frames without a hit until Chris Davis lined a solo homer with two outs in the seventh off a 2-1 sinker, a projected 383-foot shot into the right-field seats.
“I honestly didn’t think it was going to get out, but it squeaked out,” Gonzales said. “So hat tip to him.”
This browser does not support the video element.
It was the third straight start of seven innings for the former Gonzaga standout, who is up to 196 innings in 33 starts on the season after totaling 166 2/3 frames last year in 29 outings.
“We were back and forth, really, just mixing some early strikes in, and I got a lot of early swings,” Gonzales said. “We had a bunch of quick innings and were really rolling there. I was just really happy with my execution overall.”
Long making most of September opportunity
Seattle’s lone offensive counter was rookie second baseman Shed Long Jr., who went 2-for-4 with a triple and double. Long accounted for the Mariners’ only run after leading off the game with his triple and scoring on J.P. Crawford’s single to right. That was the only damage done to Means, who evened his record at 11-11 with a 3.54 ERA for a team that sits at 51-105 with a week to go.
Long is batting .422 (19-for-45) with eight extra-base hits over his last 10 games to hike his season average to .295 after rejoining the team as a September callup. He’s been playing primarily in left field, but started Sunday in place of Dee Gordon at second base, which figures to be his long-term position.
This browser does not support the video element.
“Shed is having a really good run,” said Servais. “He missed some time, about 5-6 weeks with the broken finger. So he’s one of the fresher guys out on the field. You can see it. And good for him. I thought he played really well at second base today. It was a good sign there. Having the versatility is really big for him. But the bat is the story right now for Shed. He’s going really well.”
The Mariners finished their final road trip with a 4-2 record and went 33-48 on the road for the season, their most away losses since a 28-50 mark in 2011. The Mariners are 66-90 heading home for their final six games of the year.