With the members of their rotation finally healthy, the Seattle Mariners needed to find a role for Emerson Hancock.
So they sent their former first-round pick back to the minors to learn how to pitch out of the bullpen.
Hancock, 26, made his return to T-Mobile Park on Wednesday night, finishing with two scoreless frames as the Mariners defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 on Leo Rivas’ two-run homer leading off the bottom of the 13th inning.
The host Mariners (78-68) and their resurgent bullpen will open a four-game series with the American League West rival Los Angeles Angels (69-77) on Thursday night.
“It’s different for me, but I’m really embracing it, really enjoying it,” said Hancock, who filled in for George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller at various times this season.
“I just want to do my job and do the best that I can for our bullpen, whatever role that is, I don’t even really know. Whatever they need me to do, I’ll do because I just want to be part of this team.”
Hancock said he tries to keep things simple.
“Just one pitch at a time. Execute. Understand the situation. Lean on the defense, lean on Cal (Raleigh). … It’s such an adrenaline rush of getting in the game and doing your job. When the phone rings, just go in there and do what you need to do.”
The Mariners have won five games in a row. They are one game behind first-place Houston in the AL West and 1 1/2 games ahead of Texas in the chase for the league’s final wild-card berth.
One of the biggest reasons for Seattle’s streak has been the bullpen. Over the past five games, Mariners relievers have pitched 23 innings, allowing two unearned runs on eight hits, with three walks and 22 strikeouts.
The bullpen went 8 1/3 innings of three-hit ball Wednesday with six strikeouts despite being without closer Andres Munoz and set-up men Matt Brash and Eduard Bazardo, all of whom had all worked multiple days in a row.
“Incredible job one guy to the next,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “We saw it (Tuesday), where it started when (Caleb Ferguson) handed ball to the next guy and it was zeros, and tonight it was exactly the same. We handed ball to a bunch more guys — in situations some of them have never in before.”
The Angels, meanwhile, have won two games in a row, including 4-3 against visiting Minnesota on Wednesday in a game in which Zach Neto hit a two-run homer.
Mike Trout went 1-for-2 with two RBIs, driving in the deciding run with a sacrifice fly, as he attempts to raise his low batting average.
“Just working hard with hitting guys down there trying to get back to my old self,” said Trout, who is batting only .234 this season but has 20 homers and 57 RBI. “I’ve been getting under a lot of things. Something was forcing me to fall back and swing up. But I did some stuff with my hands that allowed me to get into a good spot and go for it and attack the ball.”
Jose Soriano (10-10, 4.07 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Angels in the series opener against fellow right-hander Miller (4-5, 5.53).
Soriano lasted just 2 1/3 innings in a 10-4 loss to the visiting Athletics on Friday, giving up eight runs. He’s 2-0 with a 2.76 ERA in nine career appearances (four starts) against Seattle, with a no-decision earlier this season.
Miller has won two of his past three starts, with a no-decision last Saturday in Atlanta in a game the Mariners won 10-2. He’s 2-2 with a 2.48 ERA in six starts against the Angels, splitting two decisions against them earlier this season.
–Field Level Media
