The Seattle Mariners are on a roll. The team has won eight consecutive games, including a 6-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, to move within one game of the first-place Texas Rangers in the American League West.
The Mariners have been led by their pitching staff, which has posted a 2.38 ERA during the winning streak, and their offense, which has scored 5.5 runs per game. One of the hottest hitters has been outfielder Julio Rodríguez, who was named the AL Player of the Week after hitting .500 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in six games.
The Mariners have also overcome some adversity, such as losing rookie sensation Jarred Kelenic to a hamstring injury and dealing with a stomach illness that sidelined Rodríguez for two games. But they have shown resilience and determination, rallying from behind in several games and taking advantage of their opponents’ mistakes.
The Mariners will try to extend their streak and catch up with the Rangers when they face the White Sox again on Wednesday afternoon. They will send left-hander Bryan Woo to the mound, who will make his second start since being called up from Triple-A Tacoma. The White Sox will counter with right-hander Lucas Giolito, who has a 3.41 ERA and 189 strikeouts in 164 innings this season.
The Mariners have not made the playoffs since 2001, when they won a franchise-record 116 games but lost to the New York Yankees in the AL Championship Series. They have not won the AL West since then either, finishing second or third in every season except for 2010, when they finished last. But this year, they have a chance to end both droughts and make history.
