The Mariners were able to down the Cubs in extra innings after finding themselves in a hole early.
SEATTLE — In front of 46,018 fans Friday, the largest crowd of the season at T-Mobile Park, the Seattle Mariners delivered one of their better wins.
The Mariners came back from a 3-0 first-inning deficit to beat the Chicago Cubs 6-5 in the 10th inning.
Seattle's sixth and deciding run came via a two-out, walk-off RBI single from pinch-runner/designated hitter Leo Rivas.
"In that situation, (I'm) just trying to hit the ball," Rivas said after the game. "See the ball, hit the ball. Not trying to do too much because we got two outs already. Something low that can make something happen. That was my approach right there."
Rivas' walk-off hit capped a show of resilience for the Mariners, who found themselves down 3-0 in the top of the first inning.
Seattle starting pitcher Emerson Hancock threw 30 pitches and surrendered two homers resulting in the trio of scores in the first. The first homer was a lead-off solo shot from Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, and the second was a two-run shot from former Houston Astro rival and current Chicago third baseman Alex Bregman.
The first inning wasn't the first time that Hancock had trouble on the bases. However, he was able to prevent the Cubs from doing any more damage.
Hancock finished his outing with six strikeouts, one hit batter and three earned runs allowed on eight hits (two home runs) in 5.2 innings of work. He came back out for the sixth inning, already at over 90 pitches, and got two quick outs before handing it off to left-handed reliever Gabe Speier, who had a 1.1-inning scoreless outing himself.
"That was huge," Hancock said in a postgame interview. "Just to get the opportunity to go out there and do it, execute the best that you can. You know how crucial it is to get (those outs). I was a little frustrated to not get that last out in the sixth. I just think that's where you really got to focus, you really got to execute. It didn't happen but the job that Gabe did, coming in, getting that last out — that was huge."
In between the disastrous beginning and solid ending of Hancock's outing, the Mariners offense was able to launch a comeback and eventually take the lead.
Seattle put up a four-run bottom of the second inning. Catcher Cal Raleigh tied the game with a first-pitch, three-run homer to left-center field.
Third baseman Brendan Donovan followed two batters later with an RBI single that brought home second baseman Cole Young from second, and gave the Mariners a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, left fielder Randy Arozarena hit an RBI single to bring home shortstop Brock Rodden from third, which bolstered the M's advantage to 5-3.
In addition to his homer, Raleigh made arguably the most crucial decisions of the game in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively.
In the top of the eighth, Chicago trailed 5-4 with the bases loaded and two outs after Crow-Armstrong was intentionally walked.
The Cubs cut down their deficit earlier in the inning after left fielder Ian Happ hit a lead-off solo home run.
With Seattle reliever Eduard Bazardo facing right fielder Seiya Suzuki, Raleigh used the M's two remaining ABS challenges to attempt to overturn back-to-back calls. The first one was upheld, resulting in a ball and a 2-0 count to Suzuki. The second was overturned, resulting in a 2-1 count. Bazardo struck out Suzuki swinging on a sweeper to keep the Mariners ahead.
"I thought (both challenges were) really close," Raleigh said after the game. "They obviously were right on the edge. ... It's hard to make those calls. But we're in the eighth inning, it's do-or-die time. I think it's just really important to know where you're at in the game. We were lucky enough to still have two, which I think was huge there in that spot. Those are tough pitches. It's kind of like knowing when the game is going to be decided. And I thought that was a moment where that was the game there. That was the moment to do so."
The eighth-inning decision didn't prevent Chicago from ultimately tying the game. In the top of the ninth, facing Seattle's two-time All-Star closer Andres Munoz, Bregman hit his second home run of the day: a solo shot to left-center field that ultimately sent the game to extras tied 5-5.
With one out and Seranthony Dominguez on the hill, Raleigh again had a successful ABS challenge, which overturned a called ball in favor of Cubs designated hitter Michael Conforto.
Dominguez ended up retiring the side in order, which set the Mariners up for Rivas' eventual walk-off opportunity in the bottom of the 10th.
Seattle was unable to make up any ground in the American League West due to the Texas Rangers and Astros both winning Friday.
"We're just trying to focus on playing good baseball," Raleigh said. "Lose the lead, doesn't matter. Have the lead, doesn't matter. We're all putting together good at-bats, and don't play to the scoreboard. Just keep up good at-bats, try and score as many runs as you can. And I think we've done a good job at that the past couple games."
The Mariners will attempt to clinch a series win in the second of the three-game series at 4:15 p.m. PT on Saturday at T-Mobile Park.
Kade Anderson will get the start in his major league debut for Seattle and David Peterson will start for Chicago.
