SEATTLE — With their playoff probabilities slipping away, the Mariners discovered a painful new technique to lose.
A flying bat. A momentary reminiscence lapse. And a weird double play.
“I do not assume I’ve ever seen that earlier than in a sport. Only a unusual scenario,” Seattle supervisor Dan Wilson stated.
The Mariners fell to the New York Yankees 2-1 in 10 innings Wednesday night time, however it was how the underside of the tenth performed out that will likely be remembered in Mariners lore as one other chapter in a season that has gone awry.
Editor’s Picks
2 Associated
With runners on the corners, Julio RodrÃguez was picked off third base after dodging a flying bat that slipped out of the palms of Randy Arozarena when he struck out swinging.
“I’ve requested a couple of guys and all of them stated, ‘I’ve by no means seen that on a baseball area,'” RodrÃguez stated.
Seattle trailed 2-1 when Cal Raleigh’s leadoff single within the tenth superior RodrÃguez, the automated runner, from second base to 3rd. Ian Hamilton fanned Arozarena with a 2-2 slider, and his bat went crusing out of his palms.
Proper at RodrÃguez’s head.
“Truthfully, I noticed the bat flying proper as much as my face,” RodrÃguez stated.
Seattle’s younger star scampered out of the best way into foul territory because the bat bounded behind third base, and it took him a second to regroup. However the play wasn’t useless, and catcher Austin Wells made a fast throw to 3rd baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., choosing off RodrÃguez earlier than he might get again to the bag.
RodrÃguez stated he thought the play was over as a result of the bat went flying.
“After I noticed the bat I assumed it was going to be a useless play, after which they have been going to choose up the bat and I used to be going to return to 3rd,” RodrÃguez stated. “I obtained away and turned my again to the sphere and I heard [third base coach] Manny [Acta] yelling, ‘Get again to 3rd.’ That is after I obtained again to 3rd.
“Truthfully, at that second I wasn’t actually excited about the sport, simply making an attempt to get away from the bat coming at me. That is what occurred. That was a primary for me, for positive.”
Hamilton struck out Justin Turner to finish it, clinching a playoff berth for the Yankees.
RodrÃguez’s mistake got here an evening after Victor Robles made the questionable choice to strive stealing residence within the first inning in opposition to New York whereas Turner was on the plate with a 3-0 depend and the bases loaded. Robles was out and the Yankees rolled to a simple victory.
This defeat was extra irritating for Seattle as each Houston and Minnesota misplaced earlier Wednesday, that means the Mariners missed an opportunity to make up wanted floor within the AL West and wild-card races. Seattle is 5 video games again of first-place Houston within the division and three behind Minnesota for the ultimate AL wild-card spot.
“All of it occurred quick and once more, simply very reactionary,” Wilson stated. “I feel we might all soar out of the best way. However simply unlucky it ended up that method.”