For M's Colt Emerson, the future is now against Guardians

Just three years after graduating from high school, Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson is playing in his home state of Ohio as a major leaguer for the first time.

The 20-year-old homered and scored two runs Friday, playing an integral role in a 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians that kept Seattle atop the American League West.

Emerson is expected to be back in the lineup Saturday night when Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert (6-4, 3.29 ERA) takes on Guardians righty Slade Cecconi (3-6, 4.48) in the second game of their weekend series in Cleveland.

"Being here is special," said Emerson, who was born in Zanesville and attended John Glenn High School in New Concord, a little more than two hours from Cleveland.

"I know what it's like to eat the ballpark food and get the giant soda. I remember just being like, ‘This field is so futuristic.'

"I am so grateful to be here. If only 10-year-old me could see me on the field tonight."

Seattle's annual visit to Cleveland has served as a homecoming in recent years as the franchise has collected talent such as Northeastern Ohio-born power hitters Dominic Canzone and Luke Raley. Both played on Friday, with Canzone going 0-for-2 and Raley 1-for-1. Neither player had an RBI.

Emerson one-upped his current teammates, though, by homering in his first at-bat in the ballpark. The left-handed batter hammered a change-up from Guardians starter Joey Cantillo over the fence in right in the third inning, tying the score at 1.

"I felt like I was floating around the bases," Emerson said. "Gosh, it's so cool to hit the first (at-bat) for a homer. It's rare that a lefty left a change-up over the plate. I'm glad I got it done. That was awesome."

Gilbert, who has worked fewer than six innings in seven of his 16 starts this season, is guaranteed to have another short outing. Mariners manager Dan Wilson plans on piggybacking him with right-hander Emerson Hancock (5-4, 3.60 ERA), who will provide bulk relief.

Hancock has made 15 starts this season and has not come out of the bullpen.

Limiting his innings has benefited Gilbert, who is 4-0 with a 1.49 ERA in his last six outings. He is 1-3 with a 3.99 ERA in seven career starts against Cleveland, including a no-decision in the Guardians' 6-4 win on Opening Day in March.

"I feel like everything is in a good spot," Gilbert said. "You never have it all figured out, but whatever is working, we're just going to try to keep rolling with it."

Things aren't going as well for the Guardians, who have fallen out of first place in the AL Central since losing All-Star Jose Ramirez (left hand surgery), Chase DeLauter (rib fracture) and Angel Martinez (left foot fracture) in the same June 13 game against the Detroit Tigers.

Cleveland has dropped seven of the 10 games since June 14.

On Friday, rookie Kahlil Watson gave the Guardians a 1-0 lead in the first inning, doubling off Luis Castillo to score Kyle Manzardo, but they had only two hits over the next eight frames.

"Unfortunately, we just couldn't get anything going after the first," Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. "It looked like we weren't picking up the slider. Castillo does a really good job of criss-crossing the plate. It was a rough night."

Cecconi is 0-2 in six starts since May 18 despite not allowing more than three runs in any of them and posting a 3.38 ERA. He also is seeking his first home win of the season.

In two career games against Seattle, Cecconi is 0-2 with a 6.10 ERA over 10 1/3 innings.

--Field Level Media