Struggles in non-save situation Williams worked the eighth inning Wednesday in the Mariners' 7-6 win over the Angels, giving up three runs on two hits while striking out a batter. Impact Entering play Wednesday, Williams -- who had converted both of his save chances and had allowed just one run over four innings -- looked to be in the top position in the Mariners' closing committee. Manager Scott Servais' decision to summon Williams in the eighth inning with the Mariners holding a four-run lead was thus somewhat surprising on the surface, but the skipper may just have wanted the right-hander to get some work in after he hadn't appeared since Friday. In any case, Williams' standing atop the depth chart may have gotten shakier after he turned what was supposed to be a stress-free appearance into a nail-biter for the Mariners. Williams' command and control completely betrayed him, as he allowed a home run, hit two batters, threw a wild pitch and pumped in only 13 of his 24 pitches for strikes. Williams eventually got out of the inning with the Mariners still holding a one-run lead before Carl Edwards came to claim the save with a 1-2-3 ninth. In addition to Williams and Edwards, Dan Altavilla has also picked up a save this season for a Seattle squad that sits at 5-8, making the team's closing situation one of the more difficult ones in baseball to handicap.
AUGUST 6, 2020 • ROTOWIRE