Seattle Mariners Minor League Affiliate One Game Away From Championship

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Teren Kowatsch | Last updated Sep 17, 2024 6:35 PM ET

The Seattle Mariners will begin a three-game series against the New York Yankees at 6:40 p.m. PT on Tuesday as they work to clinch a second postseason spot in three years.

But as the Mariners are still looking to keep their postseason afloat, one of the organization's minor league affiliates will try to reaffirm their status as kings of the California Leauge.

Seattle's Low-A affiliate Modesto Nuts will play in Game 2 of the best-of-three California League Championship series against the San Diego Padres Low-A affiliate Lake Elsinore Storm at 7:05 p.m. PT on Tuesday at John Thurman Field in Modesto, Calif.

The Nuts had a 1-0 lead over the Storm entering Tuesday and will be the California League champions with a win.

Modesto had an exciting come-from-behind win against Lake Elsinore on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead.

The Nuts trailed 8-7 entering the ninth inning. Luis Suisbel had an RBI triple in the top of the inning and Josh Caron and Carson Jones both scored off a ground out hit by Carter Dorighi and a throwing error attributed to Storm third baseman Jack Costello.

Triple effect ⚡️@LuisSuisbel notched a 9th inning triple to tie the game en route to a @ModestoNuts California League Championship Series game 1 victory! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/EtUHgzMcda
— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) September 16, 2024

The three runs eventually gave Modesto a 10-8 win.

The Nuts have had an eventful last two seasons. They won the 2023 California League championship and the 2024 first-half title before news came out that Modesto, the Seattle organization and the city of Modesto, Calif., couldn't come to an agreement on a lease extension for the Nuts to continue playing at John Thurman field.

The sides did eventually come to an agreement after the news to keep Modesto at John Thurman Field through the 2025 season.

It's no secret that in the minor leagues, development takes priority over wins. Almost every major league team would be fine without playoff appearances at that level as long as their top prospects continue to progress and move on.

But the Nuts have seemed to develop a culture of winning down in California. A culture that many of the Mariners 2024 draft picks and undrafted free agents including Brandon Eike, Josh Caron, Carter Dorighi and others have bought into.

If things go according to plan for Modesto, Seattle's newest prospects will get to experience that kind of championship feeling. And players accustomed to winning isn't a bad thing for an organization still looking for its first pennant.

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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