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.
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.
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 here, 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 first visiting pitcher ever to throw seven scoreless innings among pitchers 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.
And in Sunday’s gritty effort, Anderson never broke 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. But Anderson cleared each in what amounted to a big step forward.