BALTIMORE -- Logan Gilbert pitched beyond six innings for only the third time this season. For the first of those, the Mariners weren’t winners.
Despite a two-run rally in the top of the ninth inning, Jackson Holliday’s walk-off double off Matt Brash in the bottom of the frame sank the Mariners to a 4-3 defeat to the Orioles on Wednesday night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Holliday’s game-winning hit, following a three-run Orioles seventh, halted the Mariners’ winning streak at eight and dropped them a game behind the Astros in the AL West standings, a day after they pulled even with a series-opening 1-0 victory.
But even the loss provided reason to believe Seattle’s recent surge is sustainable, between Gilbert’s strong showing and a top of the ninth that included some sharp situational offense.
“Every game’s huge,” Gilbert said. “Just trying to get a lead and build a lead. But I think we’re playing really well right now, so just bounce back tomorrow and find a way to win.”
Gilbert allowed two runs over 6 1/3 innings for his fourth quality start of the season and third in his last five outings, striking out six batters and walking two.
He also received some strong defense. In the fourth, Dylan Moore’s diving catch to deny Jordan Westburg at least a base hit proved crucial after Gunnar Henderson followed with a double. In the fifth, shortstop J.P. Crawford’s quick reaction turned Daniel Johnson’s tricky Baltimore chop into a comfortable putout.
“Just trying to get ahead like always,” Gilbert said. “I felt like, honestly, they were looking for heaters a lot of the night, so when I threw it in the zone, we got quick contact and fortunately it went to people, and had some really good plays on defense behind me.”
Gilbert averaged fewer than 10 pitches a frame through the first four innings, and was still at only 79 total after Coby Mayo’s one-out single convinced manager Dan Wilson to turn to usually reliable reliever Gabe Speier. (Ryan Mountcastle’s solo homer off Gilbert pulled the Orioles level to begin the inning.)
But pinch-hitter Jeremiah Jackson tripled off the out-of-town scoreboard against Speier on a play where Moore failed to make a clean grab off the carom. Jackson completed the Little League home run when he was awarded home plate after Josh Naylor’s errant, hurried relay throw.
“It’s a tie game at that point, and I thought they barrelled up a couple balls,” Wilson said, explaining his decision. “And Gabe has been so good for us in those situations. They were just able to get one up off the wall and get the two runs there. Those are the tough decisions, and we thought at the moment that was the right one.”
After scoring only two runs in their first 17 innings in Baltimore -- both on Naylor RBI singles -- the Mariners matched that total in their 18th to force one more O’s at-bat.
Julio Rodríguez singled off Yennier Cano to lead off Wednesday’s ninth. Eugenio Suárez followed with a walk. Then the pair executed a successful double-steal before Naylor’s groundout and pinch-hitter Dominic Canzone’s sacrifice fly forced across the tying runs, the latter coming off eventual winning reliever, Keegan Akin.
“Obviously a tough one tonight, but incredible fight from that team in there,” Wilson said. “For us to come back there in the ninth and tie it up again, just a great effort there.”