Home runs hurt Mariners, George Kirby in loss to Twins

Their starting pitcher didn't provide the somewhat typical quality start and the bullpen couldn't keep their rally hopes alive. Not even Cal Raleigh could rescue the Mariners from their overall mediocrity and looming defeat, though he sure tried and came close. Given their tepid offense, inconsistent run production and propensity to strike out so often, the Mariners are almost totally reliant on the starting pitching to be somewhere from great to outstanding every game. Sure, the Mariners offense has provided one-off exceptions to this trend of baseball, including a win 24 hours earlier where they scored 10 runs.