Manager Dan Wilson Takes Accountability After Tough Seattle Mariners Loss on Monday

The Mariners are now 20-14 on the season, but they are ahead by just one game over the A's in the American League West. Seattle is trying to win its first division crown since 2001.

Tied 6-6 in the bottom of the 11th inning, the A's started the inning with the "Manfred Runner" at second base. He was advanced to third, making it one out and a runner at third. The Mariners then walked Shea Langaliers to make it first and third, but instead of pitching to the struggling JJ Bleday, they had Casey Legumina walk him too.

This loaded the bases for Jacob Wilson, one of the best contact hitters in baseball, who singled past a drawn-in infield to win the game. There were questions about why Dan Wilson would rather pitch to Jacob Wilson, and there were questions about why the infield was drawn in if a double play ball was what they were trying to induce.

“[Jacob] Wilson puts the ball on the ground and we were hoping we’d get it on the ground,” Wilson said. “He put it on the ground, but was able to get it through.”

While the 11th inning was not Wilson's finest hour, it's also not really the reason the M's loss, at least from this writer's vantage point. First, the Mariners got a shaky start from Bryce Miller, as he only went four innings, taxing the bullpen early. Next, Seattle rallied for a 4-2 lead but couldn't hold it. The M's had a chance for a big hit off Mason Miller in the ninth, but couldn't get it in a 5-5 game. And the Mariners failed to score in their own half of the 11th inning. You mix all that into the fact that Randy Arozarena, Gabe Speier and Matt Brash appeared unavailable for the contest, and you were playing with fire from the start.

On Monday, the M's got burned.

They'll play the Athletics again on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. PT.