Braves pitching gets pounded by Mariners again
Less than two weeks ago, the Braves witnessed one of the league’s premiere sluggers, the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber, hit a record-tying four home runs in a 19-4 drubbing back on Aug. 28.
On Sunday, they got a firsthand look at baseball’s top slugger, as Cal Raleigh hit his major league-leading 53rd home run, and the Seattle Mariners had 20 hits in an 18-2 rout of the Braves.
In all, the Mariners hit five home runs, with Eugenio Suárez hitting two, and Jorge Polanco and Josh Naylor each hitting one. It was the second straight game Seattle hit five home runs.
Joey Wentz (5-6), who has been up and down since being put in the regular starting rotation, was hit hard on Sunday, giving up a career-high-tying eight runs along with eight hits in 2 1/3 innings.
Atlanta scratched scheduled starter Spencer Strider on Sunday morning and pushed him back to Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs.
Jurickson Profar provided the majority of the offense for the Braves, with his 13th home run of the season in the fourth inning. However, by then, the Braves were already down 10-0.
Polanco and Naylor homered in an eight-run third inning and Raleigh hit a three-run drive in a seven-run ninth, giving him 113 RBIs. Suárez hit a solo homer in the sixth and a two-run shot in the ninth.
Seattle had its most runs since beating Texas 21-8 on May 30, 2012, and its most hits since getting 20 in that game against the Rangers. The Mariners won consecutive games for the first time since Aug. 24 against the Athletics and the following day vs. San Diego.
Seattle (75-68) opened a 1 1/2-game for the third and last AL wild card over Kansas City (73-69), which played later Sunday. Texas fell to 73-70 with its third loss in four games following a six-game winning streak.
Luis Castillo (9-8) allowed one run and four hits in six innings.
Key moment
After Raleigh’ singled in the third, Julio Rodríguez hit a sharp potential double-play grounder that deflected off third baseman Nacho Alvarez Jr.’s left thigh and into left for a three-run double that put the Mariners ahead 4-0.
Key stat
Castillo won for the first time since July 28 after going 0-2 with a 7.31EWRA in his previous six starts.
Up next
Mariners: RHP Bryan Woo (12-7, 3.02) starts at home on Monday night against St. Louis RHP Miles Mikolas (7-10, 4.89).
Braves: RHP Bryce Elder (6-9, 5.54) starts Monday night’s series opener against the Cubs and LHP Shoto Imanaga (6-9, 3.15).
Material from The Associated Press was used in this article.
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