If the Seattle Mariners miss the playoffs, their season-long road woes might be the primary culprit.
The Mariners have lost 13 of their last 16 road games heading into a meeting against the host Atlanta Braves on Saturday night.
Seattle (73-68) has lost four games in a row overall and six of seven on their nine-game trip to fall 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West. The Mariners hold a narrow lead over Texas, Kansas City and Tampa Bay for the AL’s third and final wild-card berth.
Atlanta opened this weekend’s three-game series with a 4-1 victory on Friday after scoring three runs in the eighth inning against reliever Gabe Speier of Seattle, which is 32-41 on the road this season.
Ozzie Albies hit a run-scoring triple as part of a 3-for-4 night for the Braves (64-77), who tallied five of their 10 hits in the decisive eighth inning. Braves closer Raisel Iglesias retired the side in order in the ninth for his 24th save.
After a rough start to the season, Iglesias has converted all 13 of his save opportunities since July 28.
“He’s worked his way back,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “There’s not a guy who’s any more consistent, as far as doing your work and staying with yourself.”
The Braves are looking to play spoiler against Seattle, which is in danger of finishing fourth in the wild-card race for the third consecutive season.
Despite the team’s current slide, Mariners manager Dan Wilson remains optimistic.
“People have said it before, ‘If we can get in (to the playoffs), a lot of things can happen,” Wilson told Seattle Sports. “That’s a pretty common phrase you hear throughout the league. We definitely have a lot of talent here. It’s just about putting it together these last few weeks and putting ourselves in the best position to make the playoffs and make that deep run that we want to.”
Saturday’s pitching matchup will feature a pair of right-handers as Atlanta’s Hurston Waldrep (4-0, 1.01 ERA) faces Seattle’s Bryce Miller (4-5, 5.71).
Waldrep, 23, bolstered his case for the NL Rookie of the Year award with another impressive outing last Sunday. He struck out nine and allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision as the Braves took a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
The outing capped a brilliant month of August for Waldrep, who posted a 1.01 ERA over six appearances covering 35 2/3 innings.
“I love the way he goes about it and how he handles himself,” Snitker said. “He’s got it together. He’s got a good idea of what he wants to do.”
Waldrep will make his first career appearance against Seattle.
Miller, meanwhile, earned his second straight victory last Sunday, allowing two runs on two hits over a season-high six innings in a 4-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians.
The 27-year-old has made three starts since missing over two months with a bone spur in his pitching elbow. He threw 47 of his 72 pitches for strikes against Cleveland.
“I felt good,” Miller said. “It was good to get through six (innings) finally. It only took till the end of August.”
Marcell Ozuna is hitless in five at-bats against Miller, who is 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA in two career starts vs. Atlanta.
–Field Level Media
