Castillo's gem for naught as Mariners' bats quiet vs. Tigers

SEATTLE -- One ball chopped through the dirt and found the outfield grass. Then another. And another after that, too.

Just a few hours after Mariners manager Scott Servais preached the importance of playing “clean baseball” for Seattle to reach the finish line in its quest for the American League West title, the club found itself on the losing end of a 4-2 decision to the Tigers in a game that was largely defined by Detroit’s persistent bloopers and the Mariners’ struggles to keep them off the basepaths.

"You do need to make all the plays, but you can't really point to that as being the difference in the ballgame,” Servais said. “You also have to do some things offensively. We were not able to get it going there."

Indeed, Seattle’s bats manufactured only one run entering the ninth inning, when they were then gifted both a free run and an out when a routine fly ball from Jorge Polanco dropped due to what appeared to be miscommunication between Tigers outfielders Parker Meadows and Wenceel Pérez, allowing Cade Marlowe to score from second base. That set the stage for pinch-hitter Mitch Garver, mired in a career-worst slump, who struck out as the tying run on three pitches for the final out.

Through those shortcomings, and despite a strong effort in his sixth straight quality start, Luis Castillo found himself pitching from behind for most of an outing in which he matched a season high with nine strikeouts.

Seven of Detroit’s eight hits against “La Piedra” passed through the infield before finding open space not including a two-out error in the second from shortstop Dylan Moore that wound up being inconsequential other than prolonging the second inning and Castillo’s pitch count.

Another play that was ruled an error but later changed to a single by the official scorer was more costly: a 94.9 mph knock from Javier Báez with no outs that chopped past Luke Raley at first base and sparked the Tigers’ two-spot in the fifth. Báez went on to score on a single from Pérez, who followed an RBI single from Colt Keith -- both of which were among the bleeders that crossed the infield but didn’t reach Mariners gloves.

"They weren't able to make good contact enough for the ball to get hit for a homer or anything,” Castillo said through interpreter Freddy Llanos. “So, for me, seeing that tells me that I was doing something good."

Some of the Tigers’ singles against Castillo could certainly be chalked up to tough-luck plays, but there were also a few that appeared to be within Seattle’s grasp.

Keith’s run-scoring knock also went past Raley in what looked like a prime double-play opportunity that would’ve ended the fifth with just one run. In the previous frame, Raley was also just to the right of a screaming leadoff liner from Pérez, who went on to score with two outs, a play that might not have manifested otherwise.

Beyond the defensive challenges, the Mariners struggled to solve Tigers rookie starter Keider Montero, a homer from Raley to lead off the fifth their lone run against him. Montero, making just his eighth start, racked up a career-high eight strikeouts, seven of which came via secondary pitches.

The Mariners’ clearest chance to pounce was in the sixth, when Josh Rojas led off with a single before Victor Robles was hit by a pitch. But Randy Arozarena hit into a double play -- breaking his bat and advancing Rojas to third in the process -- before Cal Raleigh grounded out to halt the rally. Those wound up being Seattle’s only at-bats with runners in scoring position until Marlowe reached second base on defensive indifference in the ninth.

Seattle's only hit against the Tigers’ bullpen, which took over after Montero finished six innings, was the freebie to Polanco in the ninth -- and the Mariners faced another injury scare when Justin Turner took a 95.4 mph fastball off his left hand from Will Vest, who pitched with the Mariners as a Rule 5 Draft selection in 2021. Turner, who was clearly in pain, remained in the game but was pinch-hit for by Marlowe in the ninth. X-rays were negative, and he is day to day.

"I think I got lucky,” Turner said.

Elsewhere, the Astros experienced a sour finish to their game in Arlington, as Framber Valdez lost a no-hitter when surrendering a two-run homer to Corey Seager with two outs in the ninth inning. Houston held on for a 4-2 victory, pulling to within a half-game of Seattle in the division standings.