Mariners melt down in extra innings against Nationals

Scott Hanson, The Seattle Times on May 30, 2025

Published in Baseball

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Mariners starter Emerson Hancock was outstanding, Leody Taveras had a huge game and Seattle kept its lead in the American League West.

Those bright spots were overshadowed, however, by a dreadful 10th inning for the Mariners in which reliever Collin Snider gave up seven runs — five earned — in a 9-3 loss to the Washington Nationals on Thursday night at T-Mobile Park.

“It’s always tough to lose it in extra innings,” said Mariners manager Dan Wilson. “It was a good ball game. Our guys really, really fought to the end. … They were able to break it open late, and that was the difference.”

The Mariners were in danger of falling out of first place for the first time since April 27, entering the night a half-game ahead of Houston. The Astros fell 13-3 to Tampa Bay, keeping Seattle in first place for at least another day despite losing two of three in the series.

The Mariners down 2-0 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, got two-out run-scoring singles from Taveras and Ben Williamson to tie the score.

Taveras, who was 3 for 4 at the plate with a stolen base, helped keep the score tied in the eighth, throwing Nathaniel Lowe out at home after three straight two-out singles by the Nationals.

The Mariners got the first two runners on board in the bottom of the eighth inning, but failed to score, leaving runners on second and third. That became even more painful after Snider was torched in the 10th, allowing three runs on two doubles and another three on a Josh Bell homer.

“It looked to me like there were just some balls that caught a lot of plate,” Wilson said of Snider’s struggles, while also crediting the Nationals, who set a franchise record for most runs in an extra inning.

Long before that, Hancock excelled.

Hancock, whose future in the Mariners starting rotation appears uncertain with Seattle scheduled to get Bryce Miller back on Saturday and Logan Gilbert on a rehab assignment, had perhaps his best start of the season.

He matched Nationals budding star MacKenzie Gore through five scoreless innings.

It was clear early that runs were going to be hard to come by with both starters working quickly and efficiently. It took just one hour, three minutes to complete five scoreless innings, with Hancock needing just 50 pitches and Gore needing 67.

But after Hancock allowed walks to two of the first three hitters to begin the sixth inning, Mariners manager Dan Wilson pulled Hancock after 65 pitches.

Lefty Gabe Speier entered to face lefty James Wood, who hit the first pitch he saw down the line in left field for a double, allowing both inherited runners to score.

“We had Gabe out there (in the bullpen), who’s throwing the ball so well for us, and we thought that was a good spot for him right there,” Wilson said. “… We just felt with that matchup, it was a good time to do it (relieve Hancock).”

Despite allowing the two earned runs, the numbers were good for Hancock, who allowed two hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings and striking out four.

Afterward, he rued the two walks.

“Those two free bases were a killer,” Hancock said. “Two walks like that in a row, especially when you had some momentum going into it, it’s tough. They came around to score, and I’ll clean that up and do a better job.”

Wilson was impressed with the right-hander’s work.

“(Hancock) threw the ball really well,” Wilson said. “… He attacked the zone, had a good sinker and then was able to use his changeup as well.”

The Mariners had a golden chance to claw back in the bottom of the sixth inning, opening with singles by Taveras and Williamson to put runners on first and third.

But J.P. Crawford and Julio Rodriguez struck out, and after Cal Raleigh was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Gore struck out Randy Arozarena to escape the jam.

Crawford was caught looking and was ejected for arguing with plate umpire Andy Fletcher.

In the next inning, Taveras and Williamson came through again, this time with the run-scoring hits off reliever Jorge Lopez.

Scoring opportunities were nearly nonexistent for either team through five innings.

The Mariners had the best opportunity, in the first inning, thanks to Raleigh. He hit a two-out single, then stole second base — his sixth steal of the season — and advanced to third base on a throwing error by Keibert Ruiz.

Gore, who entered the game with a MLB-leading 93 strikeouts, got out of the jam by striking out Arozarena.

Raleigh then showed off his defense in the top of the second, throwing out Luis Garcia Jr. trying to steal second base. It wasn’t until the sixth inning that Washington advanced a runner advanced a runner as far as second base.

The Mariners got a scare in the eighth inning when Rodriguez was hit on the right hand with a pitch. He was in obvious pain but remained in the game.

“He seemed OK,” Wilson said. “We’ll obviously check it tomorrow. … He was able to at least get through this one, and we’ll see what happens in the morning.”