LOS ANGELES -- In an oh-so-close alternate reality, the Mariners’ visit to Dodger Stadium this week would’ve represented a World Series rematch.
Seattle, after all, was just eight outs away from reaching that elusive Fall Classic last October, which would’ve opened right here at Chavez Ravine.
But with the way that 2026 has unfolded, that soul-sucking Game 7 loss in Toronto in the American League Championship Series feels like forever ago -- particularly in the maddening trajectory that the Mariners have been on for most of the summer.
But for at least one night -- in a blow-for-blow, 7-6 win over the two-time defending champs on Tuesday -- they looked much more like their 2025 selves.
And this one went down to the wire, with Andrés Muñoz stranding Shohei Ohtani on third base as the tying run and Max Muncy on second base as the winning run. That came after Ohtani ripped an RBI double to the wall that was coupled with an error, which followed an infield single from Dalton Rushing to lead off the ninth.
Muncy drew a tense, nine-pitch walk that put this one in peril -- but Muñoz then generated a game-winning groundout to Mookie Betts. That salvaged what might be their best win of the season from turning into what would’ve been their most demoralizing loss.
It was their first victory over the Dodgers since April 19, 2021, snapping a 12-game losing streak against the juggernauts. But their last win in this building? You’d have to go way back to June 28, 2009, with a lineup featuring Ken Griffey Jr., Adrian Beltré and Ichiro Suzuki.
Seattle swatted a season-high five homers and outlasted Los Angeles late, headlined by two near-carbon-copy deep flies from emerging force Dominic Canzone.
The lefty-swinging slugger hit a go-ahead blast in the seventh inning off Alex Vesia, a two-run blast that traveled 414 feet to the right of straightaway center, and a game-tying solo shot off starter Justin Wrobleski in the sixth, 433 feet and deep into the batter’s eye.
More encouraging for the Mariners, however, were via the other three homers -- from players they desperately need to get going.
Those came from Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez, their star tandem, and veteran Rob Refsnyder, who was activated off the injured list earlier Tuesday after dealing with chronic knee pain throughout what’s been a trying debut season in Seattle.