Mariners bring 'urgency' into series finale vs. Brewers

After bouncing back from a record-setting loss with an impressive victory, the visiting Seattle Mariners will try for a series win against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday afternoon.

Milwaukee opened the three-game set with a 22-0 romp on Tuesday before Seattle claimed an early seven-run lead and held on for a 7-5 victory on Wednesday.

"We had our teeth kicked in (Tuesday), so I guess it's just how you respond, and we were able to scratch a few early," Mariners third baseman Brendan Donovan said. "Momentum is day-to-day, and how can you put pressure on them early? And I think we put some pressure on them early.

"It was kind of like, ‘Well, we made history, boys, let's flush it.' Not exactly the history we wanted to make."

The rout on Tuesday was the Mariners' worst loss in their 50-year history. It also was the biggest shutout by a home team since 1887.

Dominic Canzone, Josh Naylor and Taylor Ward each drove in two runs on Wednesday for Seattle, which sits 2 1/2 games back of the final American League wild-card spot.

Logan Gilbert allowed three runs over five-plus innings to help Seattle win for just the fifth time in its last 14 games.

"That's another one of those games that just find a way to win and keep holding on, and eventually just feel like we're going to bust through," Gilbert said. "(We've) been saying that for a while. It needs to happen. There's definitely some urgency, but it's all right in front of us."

One night after matching a franchise record for runs in a game, Milwaukee went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and had its three-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday.

Shortstop Cooper Pratt, 22, went 0-for-4 in the loss, and fellow rookie Luis Lara, 21, struck out with the bases loaded in the sixth inning.

"(Pratt) didn't have good at-bats," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. "We've seen him have good at-bats in big situations, but he's a young player. Just like Lara in the bases-loaded situation. ... Sometimes in this league when you're (young), you make those kind of mistakes."

The Brewers also received a short outing from right-hander Dustin May, who allowed seven runs over two innings.

"I just don't think he had his fastball command," Murphy said. "He didn't have the good cutter, and he got backed into a corner a bunch."

Milwaukee could use a lengthy outing from left-hander Robert Gasser (3-5, 4.54 ERA) in the series finale. He allowed three runs over 6 1/3 innings in a 3-1 road loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

Gasser, 27, threw a career-high 102 pitches and struck out seven batters with one walk against the Dodgers. He will face Seattle for the first time in his career.

The Mariners will counter with right-hander George Kirby (8-9, 3.89 ERA), who yielded five runs over 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Houston Astros last Friday. Seattle lost 10-7 in 10 innings.

Kirby, 28, owns a 3.40 ERA in 13 home starts this season compared with a 4.55 mark in 10 outings away from T-Mobile Park.

Andrew Vaughn has one hit in nine at-bats against Kirby, who will make his second career start vs. Milwaukee. He allowed four runs over six innings in a 6-0 home loss to the Brewers on July 21, 2025.