The Mariners, facing a must-win game almost every night, were beaten by the New York Yankees on Tuesday.
NEW YORK -- At this point, every game has a must-win feeling if the Seattle Mariners want to hold onto their shrinking playoff hopes.
Every mistake is magnified and every missed opportunity is greater, and both things were true on Tuesday night when the Mariners dropped the first game of a nine-game road trip against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
At 56-64, the Mariners are a season-worst eight games under .500, and they are now 5.0 games in the American League West as of this posting.
Here's what you need to know.
Offense maintains issues
After scoring just four runs in three games over the weekend at T-Mobile Park, the Mariners offense was absent for nearly the entire night again in New York.
The team mustered just three hits, with the only run coming on a solo home run by Randy Arozarena. It was his fifth of the year and came in the sixth inning.
The Mariners led 1-0 after the blast.
Bryan Woo bounces back
If you're into moral victories, you got one from Woo, who delivered five scoreless innings - on the road no less. Woo gave up just three hits and one walk while throwing 66 of his 92 pitches for strikes.
His night was cut short because of a 30+ pitch first inning, but he turned around his road woes, which has been the biggest story of his season.
Bullpen questions abound
Jose A. Ferrer pitched a scoreless bottom of the sixth inning, throwing only 16 pitches with two strikeouts.
With lefties Luis Garcia and Jazz Chisholm set to lead off the 7th inning for the Yankees, it seemed possible that the left-handed Ferrer would start the inning, or that manager Dan Wilson could go to fellow lefty Gabe Speier.
Instead, the Mariners went with a righty - and not the presumed righty you would have thought. They went with rookie Michael Rucker instead of Eduard Bazardo or Seranthony Dominguez, and the inning unraveled.
Seattle Mariners pitcher Michael Rucker (38) throws during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images1) Rucker gave up a double to Luis Garcia and a single to Chisholm, putting runners at first and third with nobody out.
2) He struck out George Lombard Jr., but Chisholm took second.
3) He walked Spencer Jones, but Wilson elected to stick with him with the bases loaded.
4) A soft single from Ryan McMahon gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead and Rucker was removed.
5) Bazardo came in and gave up two runs on a single by Trent Grisham.
While multiple of these decisions certainly look questionable, we'll have to wait until postgame to hear from Wilson. We will have reaction right here at MarinersRoundtable.
