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The Seattle Mariners blew a 4-2 lead against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night, losing 7-4 at Tropicana Field — and starting pitcher George Kirby was visibly frustrated with how the game played out.
The ace admitted that he was not happy to still be pitching in the seventh inning; he gave up the game-tying two-run home run to Rene Pinto on his 102nd pitch.
“I didn't execute, he hit a good pitch,” Kirby told reporters post-game, per KING 5 News' Jake Garcia. “I wish I wasn't out there for the seventh, to be honest. I was at 90 pitches, I didn't think I needed to go anymore, but it is what it is.”
When asked if there was a conversation in the dugout between innings, the 25-year-old confirmed that there would be one “soon.” It's likely that that conversation will take place with manager Scott Servais and pitching coach Pete Woodworth at some point this weekend.
Before the seventh inning, Kirby was looking excellent. He had given up just two runs over six frames to one of the American League's best teams.
But things fell apart in the bottom of the seventh; Pinto's two-run bomb was followed up by another two-run blast by Harold Ramirez, giving the Rays a 6-4 lead.
Isaac Paredes hit a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth to round out the scoring. It was a disappointing loss for the Mariners, who continue to battle for a wild-card spot in the AL.
Kirby finished the contest with six strikeouts, two walks, five hits and four earned runs. Isaiah Campbell took the loss after serving up the second home run of the inning to Ramirez.
Kirby has only thrown 100 pitches in a game five times in his 27 starts, per CBS Sports. His season high is 103, which he was just one off on Friday night. The sophomore is up to 165 2/3 innings this year.
Seattle is currently just a single game ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays, and 2.5 up on the Texas Rangers as the chase for a postseason berth continues into September.
But Friday night is a game that both George Kirby and the Mariners will want to quickly forget.
