Brutal loss. Paxton strikes out 16, but Oakland steals win against Mariners bullpen

James Paxton had a game for the record books.

What more could you ask? Career-high 16 strikeouts, doing what hasn’t been done by the Seattle Mariners since Randy Johnson was on the mound in 1997. He didn’t allow a run in seven scintillating innings.

And the Mariners lost.

Brutal.

The Mariners’ bullpen had been so good their first 28 games this year, but the Oakland Athletics rallied with home runs against Juan Nicasio and Edwin Diaz in the eighth and ninth innings in their 3-2 comeback victory on Thursday at Safeco Field, ending the Mariners’ three-game win streak.

The Mariners were 13-0 in games this season when their bullpen had inherited a lead – one of four teams in the major leagues that had protected every lead.

“Juan and Eddy have just been awesome since the start of the season,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “They had a little hiccup tonight and that does happen every once in a while.

“We’re playing good baseball. We really are. I’m really happy with where our ball club is at.”

The Safeco Field crowd roared when Paxton struck out Jake Smolinski on a 97-mph fastball to end the seventh inning, punching his 16th strikeout of the game. That’s the most ever in the major leagues in a game by a Canadian-born player, passing former Mariners pitcher Erik Bedard (who struck out 15 in a game with the Orioles) and Phillies/Pirates pitcher Fergie Jenkins.

“I probably had the best fastball I’ve had of my career,” Paxton said. “It was jumping. We were using it on top of the zone and guys were swinging right through it. It was just that – it was as simple as stay aggressive. Go after them and not try to be too perfect.”

Paxton’s final line: seven innings, five hits, no runs, one walk and 16 strikeouts. He’s one of four pitchers in Mariners history with at least 16 strikeouts in a game, joining Randy Johnson, Mike Moore and Mark Langston. Paxton’s previous career-high was 10 strikeouts.

So why did he stay in the dugout during the eighth inning?

Paxton threw 25 pitches in the seventh inning to raise his pitch count to 105, though he had thrown 80 for strikes. He might have been sent out for another inning had he struck out Jonathan Lucroy.

He had Lucroy at a 1-2 count, but after the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Lucroy walked, the only walk Paxton allowed.

“He started the seventh with 80 pitches and I think at that point in my mind we were in great shape,” Servais said. “But making the change when we did, I thought he was taxing. The only walk he had all night was there with two outs in the seventh and Juan and Eddy have just been outstanding for us all year. Just didn’t get the job done tonight.”

Paxton said he thought his night was over.

“Our bullpen has been so good,” Paxton said. “Nicasio and Diaz have been unbelievable and I’m sure they will continue to be unbelievable for us this year. I kind of had a feeling that was going to happen and he was going to go to the bullpen there. At some point I’ll be able to use fewer pitches and get deeper in the game and maybe go past that pitch count. But I totally understand the decision.”

Nicasio entered the game leading the majors in holds (11) and Diaz, who was announced as the American League reliever of the month earlier in the day, led the majors in saves (12).

Jed Lowrie, who also homered against Felix Hernandez on Wednesday, tied the game with a two-run shot in the eighth against Nicasio and Mark Canha tagged Diaz for a solo shot in the ninth.

“It’s tough, we want to win, especially a game like that,” Paxton said. “But our offense has been awesome, those guys are great and our bullpen has been lights out. It was just one of those nights when the guys didn’t have it. It was unfortunate that it was tonight.”

Nicasio entered the game leading the majors in holds (11) and Diaz, who was announced as the American League reliever of the month earlier in the day, led the majors in saves (12).

Jed Lowrie, who also homered against Felix Hernandez on Wednesday, tied the game with a two-run shot in the eighth against Nicasio and Mark Canha tagged Diaz for a solo shot in the ninth.

Now, about the Mariners’ offense.

Ryon Healy notched his first hit of the season at Safeco Field – and against his former team.

It went a long way.

Healy’s solo home run in the third inning was his fourth in the past four games and it put the Mariners on the scoreboard first with a 1-0 lead.

Ichiro Suzuki drew a walk and later scored on Jean Segura’s base hit, though Segura tried to stretch it to a double and was out at second.

But they had other chances.

Especially in the final two innings. The Mariners loaded the bases in both.

Dee Gordon and Segura had back-to-back hits and were at second and third before the Athletics intentionally walked Robinson Cano to load the bases with one out for Nelson Cruz.

He struck out looking on a borderline strike inside. And Mitch Haniger struck out, too, which ended the threat.

One more try in the ninth.

Zunino walked and Ryon Healy singled with one out, but Ichiro, amid roaring “Ichi-RO” chants, struck out. But Gordon kept it alive when he beat out and infield single, though he was initially called out before replay overturned it.

But Segura grounded out to end the game.

“It didn’t look too good for us early on,” Athletics manager Bob Melvin said. “But that is why you keep playing. Obviously Paxton had great stuff tonight and was handing it to us. I lost count of the strikeouts on my card.”

This story was originally published May 2, 2018 at 11:21 PM with the headline "Brutal loss. Paxton strikes out 16, but Oakland steals win against Mariners bullpen."