The (expansion) Mariners pulled on their trident caps in 1977, and the logo choice might have angered Poseidon: fourteen consecutive losing seasons followed. They once employed a player whose (surname) came to epitomize offensive futility. Only one of the 28 cities that currently boast major league teams has never hosted a World Series game. That would be Seattle, and there seems a better chance of Starbucks banning coffee than that streak ending this October.
The Mariners (entered )Monday having lost 15 straight games, a stretch of unprecedented misery that began innocuously enough, on a Wednesday afternoon at the Athletics — in Oakland, not Kansas City. It stalked them to Anaheim, lingered during the All-Star break, continued back at Safeco Field, cleared customs in Toronto and (engulfed) them over the weekend in Boston, where on Sunday they broke the franchise record.
Hope (reigned) when they scored twice in the top of the first inning, but the Red Sox countered with five runs and led, 11-3, before winning, 12-8. The Mariners’ reward was a trip to Yankee Stadium, where showers (delayed) the start of Monday’s game. Perhaps a three-day monsoon instead?