Emerson Hancock brilliant, but mistakes undo Mariners in extra-innings loss

Randy Johnson was famous for telling his offensively anemic Mariners teammates 'just get me one run tonight, boys, that’s all we need.' Emerson Hancock would need just a little more than that. The Mariners did oblige The RJ Doctrine in the first inning with Julio Rodríguez’s one-out double and Josh Naylor’s single, but Randy Arozarena’s unlucky double-play mistake gave them only one run. The Royals scored in the third through bad luck—Kyle Isbel hit a cutter past Josh Naylor, and Maikel Garcia’s bat swing blooped it into left field. Hancock rebounded with a strikeout against Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino, but the Mariners’ offense couldn’t capitalize further. In the fifth, they loaded the bases on back-to-back singles from Leo Rivas, J.P. Crawford, and Julio Rodríguez, but a wild pitch by Seth Lugo and Randy Arozarena’s pickoff mistake led to no scoring. Hancock pitched well in the sixth, striking out Salvador Perez, Carter Jensen, and Jac Caglianone, before being sent back out for the seventh inning. He struck out Kyle Isbel twice, ending his night with a brilliant performance despite the loss. The Mariners’ bullpen failed to protect the lead, and the offense struggled to score in the bottom of the ninth. Andrés Muñoz’s RBI single and Julio Rodríguez’s fielding error allowed the Royals to tie the game, leading to an extra-inning loss. Despite Hancock’s career-best start, the Mariners’ mistakes—offensive and defensive—undid their chances. The game’s emotional toll was evident in the postgame comments, with manager Dan Wilson acknowledging mental lapses and the frustration of squandering scoring opportunities. The loss highlighted the need for better execution from both the offense and the bullpen, overshadowing Hancock’s standout performance.