What a night at T-Mobile Park. The Seattle Mariners pulled off a stunning comeback, erasing a four-run deficit to defeat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 on Monday. The hero of the hour was shortstop J.P. Crawford, who launched a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning to cap a wild rally.
The game started as a pitcher's duel, with both hurlers dealing early. But the Braves' bats came alive in the sixth, with Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley going back-to-back. Matt Olson then added a 428-foot solo blast to left-center, marking his 300th career home run—a milestone that makes him the 166th player in MLB history to reach that mark. The Atlanta native has been on fire, leading the National League with 12 homers this season.
Entering the bottom of the sixth, the Mariners were down 4-0 and struggling against Braves starter JR Ritchie. But baseball is a game of momentum, and Seattle found theirs in a hurry. Ritchie, making his third career start in his hometown, walked consecutive batters before Josh Raley crushed a three-run homer to left, cutting the deficit to one.
With the crowd roaring, the Mariners weren't done. After a pitching change, Crawford stepped in against Tyler Kinley and sent a 2-2 slider into the right-field seats, giving Seattle a 5-4 lead and extending his hitting streak to six games.
Mariners starter Logan Gilbert had a tough night despite cruising early. He allowed four runs on six hits over six innings, including three solo homers in the sixth. But the bullpen locked it down, with Jose Ferrer, Eduard Bazardo, and closer Andrés Muñoz combining for three scoreless innings. Muñoz earned his seventh save of the season.
For the Braves, it was a frustrating end to a four-game winning streak. Olson's milestone homer was the highlight, but the loss stung. Drake Baldwin also went deep for Atlanta, while Ritchie struggled with command, walking six batters over five innings.
Both teams will be back at it Tuesday, with Seattle's George Kirby (4-2, 3.00 ERA) facing Atlanta's Bryce Elder (3-1, 1.88 ERA). If Monday's game was any indication, fans are in for another thrilling matchup.