clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

7/3/19: Open Game Thread

Mike Leake faces his former ball club for the first time as a Mariner

MLB: St. Louis Cardinals at Seattle Mariners Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The Mariners will turn to RHP Mike Leake Wednesday night as they look to win the game two of their three-game set with the St. Louis Cardinals and their third series win in their last four tries. Leake will be opposed by Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright, he of the 10th-most career innings pitched among active big leaguers.

Waino has faced the Mariners just twice in his 14-year career, allowing exactly six hits and one home run while striking out six in each outing. The 37-year-old is coming off a strong-by-his-standard month of June in which he posted a strikeout rate of 24.8% and a 3.61 xFIP. This season, he’s struggled with walks the first time through the order (11.9%) but gets progressively better the second (8.9%) and third (6.5%) times through. If the M’s can exercise patience early in the game, there could be a lot of traffic on the base paths.

Austin Nola and his 206 wRC+ finds himself on the bench again tonight despite five of his seven hits this season coming vs. right-handers on account of Adam Wainwright being absolutely dreadful against left-handed hitters. In fact, his 6.58 FIP is third-worst against lefty hitters in all of MLB.

It is fireworks night, so let’s hope for a little offensive explosion from the lefty-heavy Seattle lineup!

Game time: 7:05pm PT

Radio: 710 ESPN

TV: ROOT Sports Northwest & MLB.tv