The Cleveland Guardians usually enjoy timely hitting and solid starting pitching. They had neither last night in an 8-5 loss to the visiting Seattle Mariners.

Cleveland took a 1-0 lead on an RBI groundball by Daniel Schneemann, but Seattle exploded for four runs in the third inning to knock out Guardians starter Triston McKenzie (3-4).

J.P. Crawford hit a two-run homer, and Seattle also got RBI doubles from Cal Raleigh and Mitch Garver.

Cleveland’s bullpen didn’t fare much better, as Seattle built a 7-1 lead by the sixth inning. The Mariners got solo home runs from Luke Raley (from Hinckley, Ohio) and Dylan Moore.

COMEBACK TIME

Of course, the Guardians mounted a valiant comeback, cutting the lead to 7-3 in the sixth. Will Brennan singled to score Jose Ramirez, and Josh Naylor scored on a throwing error by Seattle starting pitcher Bryce Miller (6-5).

Seattle scored in the top of the eighth, but Cleveland got the run back when Ramirez hit an infield single to score Johnathan Rodriguez.

The Guardians cut the lead to 8-5 when Steven Kwan’s grounder scored Brennan, but Cleveland could not conjure enough ninth-inning magic to complete the comeback.

The biggest problem for the Guardians’ hitters was that they were 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Kwan managed to extend his hitting streak to 12 games and his on-base streak to 23 games. He is batting .392.

The series will continue tonight at Progressive Field, as the Guardians attempt to break a three-game losing streak. Tanner Bibee (4-2) will start for Cleveland against the Mariners’ Bryan Woo (3-0). First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m.