Seattle Mariners Fail to Overcome Early Onslaught, Lose 10-7 to Chicago Cubs

Busch hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the third. The Cubs led 9-1 through the first third of the game.

Hancock was chased after four innings. He struck out five, walked three and allowed nine earned runs on six hits (four home runs). It was the most earned runs and home runs allowed by the third-year Mariners pitcher in a single game.

"It was hot, but at the end of the day, you got to go out there and do a job," Hancock said in a postgame interview. "And I wasn't able to do it. Dug us in a hole way too early on, and that's on me. Just made a bunch of mistakes, they took advantage of it. ... I just didn't really give us a chance."

Despite the vast early deficit, Seattle was able to kick-start a rally to get within striking distance of Chicago.

The Mariners scored five runs in the fourth and fifth innings to cut the Cubs' lead to 9-6 going into the sixth. In the fourth, Donovan Solano hit an RBI single and Raley scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Cole Young.

In the top of the fifth, J.P. Crawford scored on a throwing error and Raley and Solano both ht respective RBI singles. Raley finished the game 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs and Solano finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs.

Chicago scored its final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home run hit by Pete Crow-Armstrong. That blast gave the Cubs a 10-6 lead.

Seattle's bullpen hunkered down after Crow-Armstrong's homer and kept Chicago off the board in the final three innings. Unfortunately, the scorching Saturday was just as literal as it was metaphorical.

Home plate umpire Chad Whitson left the game before the sixth inning and was examined by trainers and an EMT due to apparent heat exhaustion.

Mariners reliever Trent Thornton, who pitched 2.1 innings, exited the game in the bottom of the eighth, also due to heat exhaustion. Wilson said after the game that Thornton was doing much better and isn't expected to need additional medical examination.

Cal Raleigh hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth for the eventual final of 10-7. It was Raleigh's 30th home run of the season, the most by a switch-hitter before the All-Star Break in MLB history.

Seattle will look to clinch the series at 11:20 a.m. PT on Sunday. Logan Gilbert will start for the Mariners and Colin Rea will start for the Cubs.