Behind a late-inning rally led by Ty France’s ninth-inning game-tying home run and J.P. Crawford’s RBI single in the 10th, the Mariners had the makings of securing their 25th comeback win and pushing their extra-innings record to 11-1.  

Instead, a walk-off two-run home run from Jonah Heim -- his second of the night -- off newly-minted closer Diego Castillo helped seal the Mariners’ fate, 5-4, in Saturday’s middle game at Globe Life Field.  

“We've been riding that magic wave in extra innings, and I thought we had just enough left in our magic wand tonight, but [that was] not the case,” manager Scott Servais said.  

The Mariners jumped ahead early on Kyle Seager’s two-run home run in the first inning, helping back Tyler Anderson’s first start as a Mariner since being acquired at the Trade Deadline from Pittsburgh.

Up until France’s home run in the ninth, however, those were the only runs the Mariners had scored, as the team struggled to land the big hit, while also falling victim to outs on the basepaths. As a whole, the team went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position, leaving six men on base in the process. 

“I thought our at-bats were OK,” Servais added. “We weren't able to put a whole lot together after the Seager home run, [and] that's where you need to create some space. We just weren't able to do that, and they got some big hits late in the game.”  

Making his Mariners debut, Anderson tossed 5 1/3 innings of three-run ball, including three no-hit innings to open the game.

“Really impressed with how he went about it,” Servais said. “[You] can see how he does it. Obviously, he likes to ride the ball up in the zone, get some soft contact in the air, [and he threw] a really good changeup today.”  

Riding his four-pitch mix of a four-seam fastball, changeup, cutter and sinker, Anderson struck out three on 87 pitches (62 strikes). He generated 11 whiffs on his pitches, including six alone on his changeup, while also earning 13 called strikes with all four of his pitches up in velocity.  

Anderson was tagged for three runs across the fifth and sixth innings, including the first of Heim’s two, two-run home runs as well as a Nathaniel Lowe RBI single that knocked him out of the game.  

“Overall, [he] threw the ball great, exactly what we're looking for,” Servais added. “Kept us right in the ballgame. Liked his tempo and how he went about it. It was good to see.”  

Pitching in relief of Anderson, Seattle’s bullpen combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings in regulation, including some clutch pitching from newcomer Joe Smith, who inherited Anderson’s baserunner before inducing an inning-ending double play to escape the inning without further damage.  

France’s leadoff home run in the ninth revitalized the Mariners’ offense and opened the door for Crawford to continue to excel with runners in scoring position when he laced his two-strike, two-out single to bring home Tom Murphy in the 10th.

“We’re never really out of the game, [no matter] what the score is,” Servais said. “If you can string some quality at-bats together, get some guys on base -- we've been able to get that big hit, and we got some big hits tonight.” 

However, just as quickly the Mariners were able to rally and capture the familiar feeling of a comeback win that has presided over this season, the game was lost on a hung slider from Castillo, who, to that point, had maintained a pristine July ERA.  

“We've been in that situation a few times and you got to execute and make pitches,” said Servais of the leadup to the home run. “Need a few things to go your way. … Again, we made a mistake. One pitch tonight got us, and that happens in the big leagues once in a while.”