While the Mariners went about adding promising young talent to their franchise via trades this weekend, their longest-tenured pitcher proceeded to show why experience comes in pretty handy as
Gonzales fully understands the Mariners’ rebuilding process, but he acknowledged the trade of Nola to the Padres on Sunday night was like “losing one of my brothers and someone who has always had my back, and the ultimate teammate.”\n\nOn top of dealing with COVID-19 protocols, social issues and being away from home for the seven-game journey, it all added up to a very determined Gonzales taking the mound against the Angels. Which is why when he headed off the mound after the eighth inning, he let manager Scott Servais know he intended to finish what he’d started.\n\n“When I walked off the field in the eighth, I looked at skip and said, ‘This is my game,”” Gonzales said. “I knew it from the first inning, I knew it from the first pitch. It’s just one of those things where I just wanted to get home. I want to be home, I want to be back in Seattle and there’s a lot of emotions.”\n\n• Seattle deals closer Williams for PTBN\n\nHaving traded Taijuan Walker, the Mariners' six-man rotation now has four pitchers age 24 or under, with Gonzales and
\n\nIs that good? That seems good. \uD83D\uDE0F pic.twitter.com/l6gFLQQKe2
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 31, 2020
The 28-year-old southpaw improved to 4-2 with a 3.09 ERA, with the lone damage coming on a Justin Upton leadoff homer in the second. Gonzales retired 21 batters in a row after Upton’s home run until pinch-hitter Shohei Ohtani’s single leading off the ninth.\n\nAndrelton Simmons followed with a hit before Trout lined into a double play. Gonzales then walked Anthony Rendon to put runners on first and second again, but Albert Pujols popped out to finish off the 102-pitch gem.\n\nThe Trout double play proved to be the key in allowing Gonzales to finish off his gem and cap a 4-3 road trip for the youthful Mariners, who have won eight of their last 12 games to improve to 15-22 heading into September.\n\n“I don’t think I’ve ever snapped my neck around so fast to see if Seager was standing there to catch that,” Gonzales said with a smile.
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