Kade Anderson ensured that the Mariners will live to see another day. But his career-best outing in Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Rockies fed much more into what the Mariners are dreaming of in the long term -- for 2027 and beyond. Anderson completed the seventh inning for the first time since earning his MLB callup on Aug. 22, scattering just three hits with zero walks, seven strikeouts, and above all, zero runs. He needed just 84 pitches to go that distance, which was right around the threshold the club has been targeting as he operates in his first pro season. “There are so many valuable resources you can talk to in that locker room,” Anderson said. “And everyone has helped me in a lot of ways, and it all comes back to execution.” The day wasn’t without a scare, however, as Andrés Muñoz made it a one-run game by surrendering a solo homer to Hunter Goodman in the ninth, then experienced a right knee issue that forced him to exit. Muñoz will undergo imaging when the club returns to Seattle, at which point there will be a more detailed update. Eduard Bazardo took over, inheriting one runner that Muñoz walked, then issued a free pass himself. That put the tying run on second base and winning run on first with two outs, but the pivot reliever was able to get out of it with a three-pitch strikeout of Brett Sullivan. And because the Mariners were victorious, they staved off elimination within the American League West race until at least Tuesday. However, they were eliminated from the AL Wild Card race with Sunday's 8-1 White Sox win over the Tigers. “It was just one of those ballgames where sometimes the bats aren't swinging it and you’ve got to scratch runs any way you can,” said Dominic Canzone, who drove in Seattle’s two runs on a single and a double, each of which scored a runner from first base. “So, just getting your head down and hustling.” Even with Colorado facing its fourth straight 100-loss season, Coors Field is still a hitter’s haven -- making Sunday’s outing all the more striking. Anderson became just the second starter this season to pitch at least seven scoreless innings at Coors, joining San Diego’s Randy Vásquez, who did so on April 21. Only four pitchers did so last season.
