Cano-Less Mariners In Good Hands With 1-2-3 Punch And Amazing Throwback Uniforms
It’s not that often that the Seattle Mariners dominate baseball’s headlines. They are, after all, tucked away up there in Washington with no other MLB team within an arm’s reach. This year, however, they’re a team constantly in the crosshairs for both good and bad. Legends have retired, no-hitters have been thrown, and the face of the franchise has been expelled. Yet, one thing that won’t make headlines outside of Seattle is their swift response to said expulsion.
Ever since Robinson Cano was handed his 80-game PED suspension — yeah, that’s who I was referring to — the M’s have come together as a unit. Not only have they gone 4-2 since the news broke, but they’ve had a little magic sprinkled on top. And while you could say it was their ridiculously dope throwbacks (below) that pushed them to an extra-innings victory on Sunday, it’s actually because the top of their order has stepped up without Mr. Cano in the heart of it. The folks I’m referring to are their 1-2-3 punch of Dee Gordon, Jean Segura, and Mitch Haniger.
On Sunday, the M’s were trailing Detroit 2-0 in the ninth inning with all hope seemingly lost. After all, Francisco Liriano had them completely stifled through six innings, before losing his no-hit bid in the seventh. Instead of lying down, though, which would have been mildly tolerated, the squad was lifted up by their new core late in the game. Haniger, buried in an 0-2 count with one out in the bottom of the ninth, smashed a two-run blast to tie the game and send it to extras. Segura had singled in the previous at-bat, setting the table for the game-tying homer. Then, in the bottom of the 11th, it was a Gordon-Segura combo that sealed the W for Seattle. Gordon singled to right on the first pitch of the inning then promptly stole second base. Segura, in perfect position to be the hero, laced a single on a 2-2 count to bring home the winning run.
The aftermath captured the current state of the Mariners in a nutshell: pure jubilation, complete with a dogpile on Segura. It was clear at this moment: Robbie Cano is not as missed as many folks thought, and the team is unified more than ever.
READ: CANO HAS BEEN DIRTY “FOR YEARS” AND OTHER CELEBRITY REACTIONS TO CANO SUSPENSION
It should be noted that this was the SECOND extra-innings victory for Seattle in the six games since Cano got suspended. In their first game without him, the M’s won 9-8 in 11 innings over the Texas Rangers.
This kind of thing happens sometimes in the sports’ world. I mean, look at the Boston Celtics right now. Their two best players went down with major injuries, prompting their remaining crew to come even closer together. It’s one of the greatest phenomenons in sport, and one that is as old as time.
All three guys — Gordon, Segura, and Haniger — are having awesome seasons in the batter’s box. Segura (.318) leads the team in hitting, with Gordon (.304) and Haniger (.298) at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. Plus, Gordon (16) and Segura (11) both rank in the Top 10 among all MLB players in stolen bases.
Over the course of the six-game homestand without Cano, the trio has combined for a 22 hits in 75 at-bats — including a 5-for-12 performance in their most recent extra-innings victory.
The Mariners are now 27-19 and just two games back of Houston for first place in the AL West. They’ll now have a day off before heading away from home for a series in Oakland.