June 9, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) is congratulated by Julio Rodriguez (44) after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-USA TODAY Sports at Petco Park. Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais knows what needs to happen for his team to reach its full potential.
“You’ve got to get better at-bats, get consistent contact with guys on all sides of the lineup, and everybody has to do their job,” he said. “I believe in the talent we’ve got and the makeup of the guys here, but at the end of the day, you have to produce.”
Seattle did the same thing Tuesday night, throwing eight extra-base hits in an 8-3 victory over the San Diego Padres. The Mariners will look to repeat that performance Wednesday in the finale of a two-game series.
Julio Rodriguez had four of the Mariners’ 13 hits and Cal Raleigh homered from both sides of the plate, going 3-for-5 with four RBIs as Seattle recorded its highest run total since a 9-0 win at Miami on June 22.
For one night, the Mariners didn’t look like the team that entered Tuesday’s game with the worst batting average in the major leagues (.217) and the fourth-lowest run total. While they had a typical 11 strikeouts — they lead the major leagues in strikeouts and average more than 10 per game — they at least made up for it with power.
Servais said: “Whatever your job is within the clubhouse – some guys are recruited to drive the ball, some guys have to find a way to get on base – do your job and if everybody does it collectively, we’ll have a really good ballclub.”
Seattle’s pitchers, who have held opponents to a major league-low .219 batting average and have an American League-best 3.54 earned run average, were on top Tuesday night. The Mariners allowed just four hits to a team that ranks second in the major leagues with a .262 average.
Bryce Miller (6-7, 3.84 ERA) will try to keep that going Wednesday.
The right-hander is coming off a no-decision Thursday in the Mariners’ 7-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles, who batted him for eight hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings. It will be his first career appearance against San Diego.
The Padres will be counting on one of their most reliable starting pitchers, Michael King (7-5, 3.51 ERA). His last start was a 3-1 win Thursday at Texas, where he allowed four hits and one run in 5 1/3 innings with two walks and five strikeouts. King faced Seattle twice in relief, both times while pitching for the New York Yankees last year, and allowed one run in 2 2/3 innings.
Although San Diego has lost three straight games, the team is about to get some help for its already strong lineup. Second baseman Xander Bogaerts, sidelined since breaking his left shoulder on May 20, took batting practice before Tuesday night’s game and threw assists in the field against minor league players.
The plan is for Bogaerts, who went 2-for-11 in four rehab games for Triple-A El Paso last week, to play one or two games at Class A Lake Elsinore. If all goes as planned, he could be activated before the Padres’ home game Friday against the Atlanta Braves.
“I feel good,” he said. “I’m coming, I’m getting closer. I hope I’ll be back soon.”
Bogaerts is hitting .219 with four homers and 14 RBIs in 187 at-bats for San Diego this year, but he picked up his offensive pace when he was injured. He has 8 hits in 25 at-bats (.320) in his last seven games.
–Field level media
