[jksander]

August 5, 2025: We’re in Seattle for a three-game set against the 59-54 Mariners, and are hopeful that we can find some rhythm after getting the big win in Houston two days ago for our 48th win of the year. Noah Schultz (6-1, 2.06 ERA, 56.2 IP, 53 K’s, 0.88 WHIP) got the start against George Kirby (8-8, 4.65 ERA, 120.0 IP, 116 K’s, 1.27 WHIP), and we got him a lead from the beginning, with Mike Tauchman hitting an RBI single in the top of the first to score Chase Meidroth from second. Schultz got out of a bases-loaded jam in the second, leaving two more stranded in the third as we fought to hold the lead. Schultz held tough through six innings to hold the 1-0 lead, and Julian Merryweather took over in the seventh. Penn Murfee came out in the eighth, getting one out before Luke Raley hit a solo shot out of right to tie us up 1-1 ... and when we couldn’t get any runs to score in the top of the ninth, Murfee came out with ice in his veins to keep it tied into extra innings. With Yordys Valdes on second as the automatic runner in the top of the 10th, Chase Meidroth took a leadoff walk and with one out Mike Tauchman hit a shot into center field, driving in Valdes for the go-ahead! Both runners advanced on a strikeout by Joey Gallo, but Vargas batted out to center so we went into the bottom of the inning with just a one run lead. Martin Perez came out in the bottom of the inning, walking Dylan Moore and then striking out Lane Thomas and Cal Raleigh back to back ... that brought up Luke Raley, who had homered in the eighth to tie it, with Victor Robles in scoring position. Three strikes and he was out swinging, and we’d held tough to win 2-1 in 10 innings ... what a great win!

Murfee got the blown save, his fifth, and the win, his first ... he’s now 1-3 with a 4.02 ERA through 53.2 innings in 49 appearances. Perez earned his third save in a razor-tight situation, but it was all set in motion by Schultz’s six innings of work to start us out ... two hits, three walks, four strikeouts and no runs. We outhit them 11-3, so it was maddening to think that we only put up one run in regulation, but at least we got it done. Tauchman led the way with three hits and two RBIs, and our young catcher Valenzuela had three hits, bringing his average up to .273 through his first six games. We’d gotten him in the same trade that brought us Yu Darvish, and his defensive abilities are going to make him the real steal of that deal when all’s said and done.
 
August 6, 2025: Ryan Weber (5-7, 3.99 ERA, 106.0 IP, 66 K’s, 1.22 WHIP) got the start in game two in Seattle, facing Luis Castillo (8-6, 4.41 ERA, 122.1 IP, 132 K’s, 1.27 WHIP). This game was a real duel early on, with four scoreless innings for each team, We got two outs into the bottom of the fifth before Weber finally cracked as Victor Robles hit an RBI single, taking second as a trailing runner as the Mariners went up 1-0. But we answered quickly, scoring off an RBI single by Miguel Vargas in the top of the sixth to tie the game, taking the lead just moments later when Brooks Lee hit an RBI double to push us ahead 2-1! Noah Syndergaard came out to pitch in the bottom of the inning, and he got us through two solid innings before Julian Merryweather took over in the bottom of the eighth, still leading by one. He got us through the inning quickly, and when our bats didn’t add anything, Eduard Bazardo came out to protect our lead in the bottom of the ninth. Seattle thought they’d won it when, with two outs and men on first and second, Alex Call hit a hard flyball into deep center ... it looked like it might clear the wall, but Taylor made an incredible leaping catch and came away with it as we won another nailbiter, again by a 2-1 margin! Weber got the win, lasting five innings with five hits, two walks, two strikeouts and an earned run, while Syndergaard (2) and Merryweather (5) each earned holds. It was Bazardo who weathered the high leverage situation in the ninth, earning his eighth save with a hit, a walk, a strikeout and nobody scoring. They outhit us 7-6, but Brooks Lee led the way with two hits and two RBIs, and Yordys Valdes was involved in two bang-bang double player that helped us stay in the lead late.

August 7, 2025: Sean Burke (5-9, 4.35 ERA, 103.1 IP, 106 K’s, 1.35 WHIP) started our final game in Seattle, battling Jackson Rose (5-4, 5.55 ERA, 58.1 IP, 47 K’s, 1.47 WHIP). Seattle broke the stalemate in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out fly-ball double by Jorge Polanco that allowed Randy Arozarena to score, giving the Mariners a 1-0 lead. J.P. Crawford hit one to center to drive in another, the throw coming in too slow from Taylor to get the out at home plate, and we went into the top of the fifth trailing by a pair. We got on the board in the top of the sixth with a sac-fly by Miguel Vargas, and Penn Murfee took over for a visibly gassed Burke in the bottom of the inning. Unfortunately he gave up a solo homer to Cal Raleigh, the first batter he faced, and moments later he let Dylan Moore hit a three-run slam out of left to pile on big time. Shane Smith came out with one out to put out the fire, and Kimbrel took over in the seventh but there was no unringing that bell. We took a beating tonight and lost this one 8-1. Burke took the loss, falling to 5-10 with a 4.15 ERA thanks to five innings with just three hits, though he walked four with six strikeouts and allowed a pair of unearned runs. We were outhit 11-9, and though Tauchman, Gallo and Valenzuela each had two hits, neither of them were able to get anything done with them.

We’ll return to Chicago for a three-game set against Cleveland, with the Guardians at 60-55 and trailing the division leading Twins by just a pair. We’ll then face Detroit (56-60) at home and Kansas City (58-57) on the road, before playing Atlanta (74-42, 1st NL East) on the road before a six-game home stretch against the Twins (62-53) and the Royals. With 15 of our next 18 games against division rivals, we have a chance to play spoiler and show we can finish strong. Or we’ll fade quietly into the night as we dream of the future.