Surging Mariners, Diamondbacks set for litmus test in Seattle

The reigning American League West champion Seattle Mariners have finally moved atop the division.

Their reward is a series against the hottest team in baseball.

The Mariners will play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-game interleague series beginning Friday night. The Diamondbacks have won five in a row and 10 of their past 11 games.

The Mariners are coming off a three-game sweep of the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif., to take a half-game lead over the A's in the division.

Seattle outscored the A's 22-4 in the series, including a 9-1 victory Wednesday as Rob Refsnyder and Julio Rodriguez hit three-run homers and Logan Gilbert pitched six scoreless innings.

"Heck of a series, and (Wednesday) was kind of an exclamation point," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. "This is as good as we've played all season long and as consistent as we've been."

Refsnyder, signed in the offseason to combat left-handed pitching, was batting just .113 going into the game but homered in the first inning to get the Mariners going.

"The timing is great," Gilbert said. "Being a resilient team is stuff we talk about, but to go out there and actually do it, and against a good team that was in first place at their place, that's exactly how we wanted the series to go. All the way around - offense, defense - I think everybody's on a good page right now."

The Diamondbacks finished off a three-game sweep of host San Francisco with a 3-2 victory Wednesday.

Former Mariner Paul Sewald earned the save, the 100th of his career and his 14th in 15 opportunities this season.

The 36-year-old Sewald wasn't sure he'd get another shot after appearing in just 22 games for Detroit and Cleveland last season.

"I wasn't even healthy enough to throw (much) last year, so a lot of (my thought) was just, am I going to get to play again? Because I'm getting older, and I wasn't healthy," Sewald said. "... I'm just fortunate to be out there pitching, really, is what it comes down to."

The Diamondbacks' recent run, all against Colorado and San Francisco, has taken them from below .500 to tied atop the National League's wild-card standings.

"Those aren't the best two teams in the league, but, you know, you've got to beat the teams you're supposed to beat," Sewald said.

Sewald said he's excited to head back to Seattle against a Mariners club many predicted in the preseason to meet the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

The Mariners remain without catcher Cal Raleigh (right oblique strain) and third baseman Brendan Donovan (left groin strain).

"No Cal, no Donovan, you know, that's a little different for (the Mariners)," Sewald said. "They won't be at full strength, where we're getting healthier and we're getting better. But they're a really good team, they play really well at home. It's a tough, loud environment, so it'll be a good test. We feel good. We feel good about playing anybody in this league."

Friday's series opener is set to feature a pair of right-handers in Arizona's Zac Gallen (3-4, 4.80 ERA) against Seattle's George Kirby (5-4, 3.54).

Gallen, who has won his past two starts after losing his first three in May, is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in two career appearances against the Mariners.

Kirby, who has lost his past two starts, has made one previous appearance against Arizona, pitching seven shutout innings with two hits allowed and 12 strikeouts in a 3-1 victory April 27, 2024 at T-Mobile Park.

--Field Level Media