Braves storm back but suffer walk-off, 8-7 loss to the Mariners

The Atlanta Braves roared back from a 6-2 deficit to take the lead in the ninth, but the Seattle Mariners roared back with a pair of homers in the ninth to steal an 8-7 win.

The Mariners got off to a fast start as Julio Rodriguez jumped on the second pitch he saw from Jake Odorizzi and drove it out to right for a 1-0 lead. He then issued a one-out walk to Eugenio Suarez, but struck out Cal Raleigh and got Carlos Santana to ground out to escape with no further damage.

Adam Frazier led off the second with a single, but Odorizzi retired the next three hitters in order to leave him stranded. Rodriguez led off the third with another single, but was gunned down trying to steal second by William Contreras. Odorizzi struck out Mitch Hanigar and then got Suarez to fly out to end the inning.

Marco Gonzales has the Braves number early. He came into the game with a strikeout percentage of just 12.6%, but recorded four strikeouts over three scoreless innings to start. Gonzales retired the first two hitters in the fourth, but Austin Riley followed with his 36th home run of the season to tie the game.

Odorizzi walked the tightrope over the first three innings, but issued back-to-back walks to Raleigh and Santana to start the fourth. Frazier made him pay with a triple off the center field wall to put the Mariners back in front 3-1. Odorizzi got Jesse Winker and J.P. Crawford to pop out for the first two outs, but then allowed a single to center on a 2-2 pitch to Sam Haggerty that scored Frazier to make it 4-1. Odorizzi was replaced by Collin McHugh who struck out Rodriguez to end the inning.

It was a rough outing for Odorizzi who allowed the leadoff man to reach in all four innings. He allowed five hits, three walks and four runs in just 3 2/3 innings. He struck out three while throwing 71 pitches.

McHugh stayed in for the fifth and surrendered a solo home run to Suarez to extend the deficit to 5-1. Tyler Matzek took over in the sixth and surrendered two walks and a run-scoring double to Crawford that made it 6-1.

While the pitching struggled, Atlanta’s offense sputtered again. Gonzales allowed just two hits and didn’t walk a batter to go along with five strikeouts in six innings. Matt Brash struck out the side in the seventh.

The Braves drew closer in the eight as Michael Harris led off the inning with his 17th home run of the season to cut the deficit to 6-2. Marcell Ozuna then worked a walk before Robbie Grossman flew out. However, Andres Munoz replaced Erik Swanson and retired Ronald Acuña Jr. and Dansby Swanson to bring the inning to an end.

Atlanta’s comeback began in the ninth against Diego Castillo as Riley and Matt Olson worked back-to-back walks to start the inning. Both runners moved up on a grounder to first by Contreras. Vaughn Grissom struck out for the second out before Harris launched a three-run shot to right to cut the Seattle lead to 6-5.

Castillo was replaced by Paul Sewald and Brian Snitker countered by sending up Eddie Rosario to pinch hit for Marcell Ozuna. Rosario lined a 1-2 pitch from Sewald into right field for a single. Robbie Grossman followed with two-run shot to right to put Atlanta in front 7-6.

Sewald then drilled Acuña with a 93 mph fastball who went to first and then stole his 27th base of the season. He escaped any more damage as Swanson grounded out to end the inning.

The lead wouldn’t last for long though as Kenley Jansen took over in the ninth. He retired Sam Haggerty on a bunt attempt for the first out, but Rodriguez struck again as he hammered a 1-1 pitch and drove it out to tie the game at 7-7. Jansen got pinch hitter Ty France to pop out for the second out, but then gave up a walk-off homer to Suarez to end the game.

Atlanta falls to 87-53 on the season and are now 1.5 games behind the Mets in the NL East standings. They will continue their road trip on Monday when they begin a three-game series in San Francisco against the Giants.