The Seattle Mariners’ playoff hopes took a hit on Monday night, as they lost the opening game of a crucial three-game series against the Texas Rangers. The Mariners had been in the thick of the wild card race, but the loss dropped them to two games behind the Oakland Athletics for the second wild card spot.
The game was close throughout, with the Rangers taking a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth inning. The Mariners had a chance to tie it up in the bottom of the ninth, but were unable to capitalize. The Rangers’ bullpen held strong and secured the win.
The loss was especially disappointing for the Mariners, as they had won four of their last five games heading into Monday night’s game. They had been playing well and had a chance to gain ground on the Athletics, but instead fell further behind.
The Mariners will look to bounce back in the next two games of the series. They will need to win both games to have any chance of catching the Athletics. It will be a tough task, as the Rangers have been one of the best teams in baseball this season and have a strong pitching staff.
The Mariners will need to play their best baseball if they are going to make a playoff push. They have shown that they can compete with any team in baseball, but they will need to put together a strong finish if they want to make it to October. Monday night’s loss was a setback, but the Mariners still have a chance to make a run at the playoffs.
