The Seattle Mariners blitzed the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, scoring five runs in the top of the first inning en route to a 9-5 win at Angels Stadium.

Victor Robles played a huge role in the victory, going 3-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base. The stolen base was his 21st of the season and 17th with the Mariners since coming over from the Washington Nationals.

Robles has made history with his ability on the bases according to Mariners PR, who put this note out before the game:

…that his 16 consecutive stolen bases without being caught are the most to begin a Mariners career in franchise history…

Of course, he now has the 17 after Friday’s pilfer. Robles has been a true revelation for the Mariners since arriving in June, helping keep them afloat in the wake of serious injuries to Julio Rodriguez and JP Crawford.

He’s hitting .278 for the year, but has hit .303 with the Mariners. He has four homers with Seattle to go along with 15 RBI. Robles earned a two-year contract extension for his efforts in Seattle and could very well slot in as an everyday outfielder in 2025.

Lifetime, he’s in the eighth year of his career with the Nationals and Mariners. He won the World Series with Washington back in 2019.

The Mariners enter play on Saturday night at 69-66 and 4.0 games back in the American League West race. They will take on the Angels again on Saturday at 6:38 p.m. PT.

NEW PODCAST IS OUT: The latest episode of the “Refuse to Lose” podcast is out as Brady Farkas talks about the criticism that Jerry Dipoto has received in Scott Servais’s firing, the M’s early success under Dan Wilson and the comments made by Ryan Divish recently on the “Marine Layer” podcast. Furthermore, Danny O’Neil, who wrote a tough column calling for Dipoto to be fired joins the show. CLICK HERE:

EDGAR ON JULIO: Speaking on Seattle Sports 710, Edgar Martinez spoke about his thoughts on working with Julio Rodriguez. CLICK HERE:

JOINING JULIO: San Diego Padres rookie Jackson Merrill joins a special group in baseball history, one that includes M’s star Julio Rodriguez. CLICK HERE:

Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on “X” @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady. You can subscribe to the “Refuse to Lose” podcast by clicking HERE:

Two teams in the top half of the MLS table, Portland Timbers (13th) and Seattle Sounders FC (ninth), meet on Saturday at 10:30 PM ET.

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That was a bummer. The New York Liberty hit Hollywood to face the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night. They took the lead in the second half, but were essentially in the mud all game long and it led to them losing 94-88. The seafoam are still in first place, but they still have work to do to secure the top seed in the playoffs.

The opponent tonight is looking to secure homecourt advantage in the first round of the WNBA playoffs. The Seattle Storm have tried to figure things out as they begin their new era. It’s been a bit rocky, but they’re holding tough. They survived a tough challenge against the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday night and held on to win by four points.

Where to follow the game

ION is the place to be. League Pass for the out of towners. Late night affair so we getting started after 10 PM.

Injuries

Jonquel Jones missed Wednesday’s game with a non-COVID illness. She’s listed as questionable.

Jordan Horston missed Wednesday’s game with a non-COVID illness. She’s back tonight.

The game

New York won the first game. They close out the season series next week.

The Liberty say it all the time, but when they don’t move the ball side to side, bad things happen. They rush into their actions and don’t put pressure on opposing defenses when they get into those bad stretches. We saw it on full display as they turned the ball over 20 times in Los Angeles. When you’re that unorganized, you’re going to lose every single time.

Jewell Loyd has been trying to figure things out, but it’s been a struggle. She’s shooting a career low 36.2 percent from the field and perhaps most concerning, just 27.5 percent from three point range. That’s the lowest percentage she’s shot from deep since her rookie season. She still leads the team in field goal attempts and is fourth overall in FGAs. For Noelle Quinn and the Storm, they have to figure out how to put Jewell in the best position to succeed. Even as I say that, she can make you forget it all in the blink of an eye

Speaking of three point shooting, Sabrina Ionescu will try to regain her rhythm from deep. Sab hasn’t shot above 40 percent from deep since the win against the Sparks on August 15. For Ionescu, she’s been at her best when she’s driving downhill and getting into the painted area. That success getting to the basket opens up the rest of the court for herself and her teammates, which makes life so much easier for everyone.

Player to watch: Nneka Ogwumike

Quiet as it’s kept, Nneka has been one of the best players in the league this season. She’s been a source of consistency for the Storm as they try to find their identity before the playoffs start. How good has she been? My pal Nekias Duncan has more on the former MVP

For Nneka, she and Ezi Magbegor make for one of the best, most challenging frontcourt tandems to stop in the league this season. The Storm have been the second worst rebounding team in the league since the break (the Liberty have been the best), so it’s goin to take a lot of heavy lifting for the Storm tonight if they want to punch their ticket to the postseason.

If all else fails for the Liberty, Breanna Stewart will be there to save the day. Stew York was the main engine on offense Wednesday night as she was able to score 32 points while keeping the team afloat. Stewart can do everything in the world, and if JJ is out for another game, Sandy Brondello will have her play some more center minutes. The Liberty haven’t had to do it much this season, but tonight could be an opportunity for them to try it out before the stakes get high.

From the Vault

You can never go wrong with Seattle Stewie.

More reading: Swish Appeal, Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, The Strickland, The Local W, New York Daily News, New York Post, The Athletic. Fansided, Just Women’s Sports, SI All Knicks, Winsidr, Her Hoop Stats, CBS Sports, and The Next