DENVER -- Another winnable game, and another agonizing ending.
And with it, the Mariners will face elimination from both the American League West and Wild Card races before they depart Denver.
Seattle’s 5-3 loss to Colorado on Saturday night felt like a never-ending replay to countless nights that preceded this one. It was a one-game encapsulation to why they’re in a spot that seemed so unforeseen six months ago -- yet that has been slowly, and painfully, brewing to this very moment since.
“We made our bed,” Cal Raleigh said. “We’ve got to lay in it.”
The Rangers beat the Blue Jays earlier on Saturday, claiming sole possession of first place in the American League West in the process. Texas (78-77) is atop the AL West by itself for the first time since July 30, while Houston (77-78) is now one game back.
Seattle could be eliminated for the division title as early as Sunday afternoon, as another loss at Coors Field coupled with another Rangers win against the Blue Jays would officially eliminate the Mariners.
Seattle’s elimination for the final AL Wild Card spot -- which always seemed like a long shot given how many other teams are in that race -- would be actualized with a White Sox win over the Tigers on Sunday, regardless of outcome in the series finale in Denver.
Saturday’s formula for defeat is one that the Mariners have turned from habit to specialty.
Squandering an early lead
They took an advantage that appeared both empathic and tone-setting, then failed to add on.
Raleigh crushed the longest homer of his career (a Statcast-projected 459 feet) in the first inning, then Randy Arozarena (435 feet) followed up with another in the third that created a 3-0 cushion.
But the Mariners never scored again, going 5-for-24 to the finish line and finishing the night 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Did that allow Colorado’s arms to make adjustments, or did the Mariners get out of their offensive approach?
“I think it's a combination of both,” Raleigh said. “I'm more worried about what we're doing, what our guys are doing. And like I said, when you just don't apply the pressure, you're kind of giving the pitcher an easy way out.
“It was good to get on early, but you've got to keep going. You can't feel satisfied by any means, and that’s kind of what I saw.”
Not-so-glovely plays
Their defense, which ranks last in MLB with minus-53 outs above average and -52 fielding run value, gave away free bases that directly turned into runs.
The most glaring were errors in consecutive plate appearances in the third that essentially turned a bunt single into a home run.
Raleigh was at the center for both, making a wide throw attempting to nab speedster Jake McCarthy at first base, a regret as the catcher said, “I should know better.”
In the next at-bat, Raleigh couldn’t keep a relay throw from Dominic Canzone in front of him after a flyout, which allowed McCarthy to race home. Canzone was charged with the error, and had it not occurred, McCarthy would’ve been stranded.
There were more defensive lapses in a fateful seventh inning.
Early hook for starting pitcher
Although Bryce Miller showed much improvement on the heels of a summer-long tailspin, with just one unearned run and far better fastball command, he departed with one out in the sixth after consecutive singles.
That put the wheels in motion for three relievers -- Carlos Vargas, José A. Ferrer and Cooper Criswell -- to cough up the lead by surrendering four runs in the seventh.
Vargas gave up a pair of one-out singles that put runners on the corners for Ferrer, who generated a groundout on a swinging bunt but that led to an RBI and made it a 3-2 game.
With two outs, Ferrer induced another grounder, but one that third baseman Weston Wilson bobbled to put runners on the corners and keep the rally alive. TJ Rumfield then chopped one between J.P. Crawford and Michael Arroyo up the middle to tie the game, as both infielders were in a shift.
From there, Criswell took over, walked his first batter to load the bases and then gave up a two-run single into No Man’s Land in shallow center that put Colorado ahead for good.
“A lot of contact on their part that was on the ground, and we were able to knock it down, but not able to make a play,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “And those are always tough, especially in this ballpark.”