Mariners Game #70 Preview, 6/18/23: CWS at SEA

Yesterday’s game was the kind of game that, in a different season, one could laugh off or even appreciate. A 29-year-old minor league journeyman making his MLB debut and effectively winning the game is a great story. I would have even liked it to happen today. But instead that means today’s game carries the pressure of not having a series loss against a truly muddling, middling team, and as we’ve seen so far this year, this team doesn’t do great under pressure. Although to be fair, they don’t do great in general.

Today’s lineups:

No cute lineup graphic today, so to Rotowire for help.

Today’s game info:

Today’s game can be viewed on ROOT Sports NW, with Dave Sims and Aaron Goldsmith on the call. Today’s game can be listened to on 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr. on the call.

Today in Mariners history:

• 1992: For the first time ever the Mariners win three consecutive games. It takes them until the final at-bat of the game to do it, but they get it done. The team has existed at this point for 15 years.
• 2002: The Mariners play the Reds for the first time as a franchise, which means they face Ken Griffey Jr. for the first time since he departed the Mariners. Griffey Jr. goes 2-for-3 with a walk but the Mariners, backed by a strong start from Joel Pineiro and a three-hit game from John Olerud including two doubles, defeat the Reds 8-1.
• 2010: Ichiro’s 20-game hitting streak ends in a game against the Reds. The Mariners still score the only run of the game, winning 1-0.
• 2022: The Mariners lose both games of a double header to the Angels where Trout hits the game-winning homer in both games. The LL staff, in attendance to watch the games with staff member Jake who is visiting from Texas, and delirious on bad baseball and ballpark beer, writes a ridiculous collective recap of the second game.