'Just not quite enough': Mariners drop wild finale

CLEVELAND -- Cal Raleigh completed a 360-degree spin on the tag attempt, even pleading with home-plate umpire D.J. Reyburn that José Ramírez missed the plate, underscoring the Mariners’ fight -- and frustrations -- at the end of a 7-6 loss to the Guardians on Sunday afternoon.

Raleigh had just corralled a throw from second baseman Kolten Wong on a dribbler from Josh Bell, but Ramírez narrowly raced past the Mariners’ backstop to give the Guardians their first and only lead in the 12th inning, which prevented a Seattle sweep.

Ramírez reached on an international walk from Penn Murfee, then advanced on a wild pickoff attempt from the reliever on Amed Rosario at second base. That set up Josh Naylor for a game-tying RBI single and Bell to knock in the game-winner on a fielder’s choice.

Murfee was quite literally the Mariners’ final pitcher, based on workloads and availability. It was that kind of afternoon.

“After that, you're probably looking at Cooper Hummel or Tom Murphy pitching in the game,” manager Scott Servais said. “I thought we’ll give Penn his best shot to get through it, and we just weren't able to do it.”

That Murfee was even needed illustrated the game’s length -- and the high usage that has quickly burdened the bullpen. He became the Mariners’ first pitcher this season to throw three days in a row, and he now leads MLB with seven appearances. Paul Sewald, who had pitched back-to-back days, and Gabe Speier, who recorded five high-leverage outs on Saturday, were unavailable.

Yet when Matt Brash entered for what would have been his first career save in the ninth, it looked like the Mariners’ heavily-taxed ‘pen was in good shape. Brash was pitching in a pocket that in healthier times would likely have gone to Andrés Muñoz, who was placed on the 15-day IL earlier Sunday with a right deltoid strain.

Brash issued a walk to Naylor, a single to Andrés Giménez and a hard-hit line drive by Will Brennan that scored two after it bobbled in and out of Teoscar Hernández’s glove for a double. Making it sting more was that the would-be game-sealing play came with two outs.

“When he hit the ball to my left, I got a pretty good read on it,” Hernández said. “But the wind pushed it to my right side, so that's why it kind of went over my head. At the end, I tried to jump and try to make the play, but unfortunately I didn't.”

It wasn't ruled an error due to the play’s difficult nature and blustery conditions. Hernández, whose defense has been steadfast early this year, overran the liner at the warning track and attempted to snag it above and behind his head, which would have been a remarkable play -- especially had it secured the 27th out.

“The wind took the ball the other way,” Hernández said. “Like I said, I tried to get it. I think I had the right route and it hit my glove when I jumped, so unfortunately, they tied the game.”

Hernández was in right field after moving from DH when Servais pinch-hit Tommy La Stella for left fielder AJ Pollock to face All-Star righty Emmanuel Clase in the ninth. That moved Jarred Kelenic from left to right and also forfeited the DH spot for the day. La Stella hit an RBI groundout for a critical insurance run to extend Seattle’s lead to 3-1.

Hernández then redeemed himself with a go-ahead RBI single in the 12th, but the Mariners couldn’t hang on in the bottom half of the frame. Kelenic also ripped a go-ahead double off the right-center-field wall in the 11th, but the Guardians bounced back then too.

“We played very well in this series, just not quite enough to take the sweep,” Servais said. “It's hard to sweep on the road. It came down to needing one more out, and you’ve got to give them credit.”

It was a sour ending to an otherwise productive series, but there were many positive takeaways for a team that -- other than the one blunder -- played good defense, pitched well and found more offensive consistency. Kelenic’s progress, a big day from George Kirby -- six innings of one-run ball without a walk -- and a homer from Raleigh, his first of 2023, were all signs of potentially good things to come from Seattle’s key contributors.