The Mariners’ roller coaster start to the season hasn’t been up to par. Several analysts expected them to be a dominant force in the AL West. But of course, there are still plenty of games left to play.

Last week, the Mariners tied a two-game series with the San Diego Padres and then split a four-game weekend series with the Boston Red Sox. In Thursday’s matchup with Boston, Roenis Elias pitched a great game only surrendering one run but Fernando Rodney gave up a run in the ninth to take the loss on a night the team struggled to put runs up on the board.

Friday was college night and the studious were out in force cheering in their special Mariners fedoras as Nelson Cruz hit a walk-off single to take a 2-1 victory. Cruz has been exactly what the Mariners were looking for when they signed him as he currently leads the league in home runs. J.A. Happ also pitched a fantastic game providing some added consistency behind King Felix.

Speaking of Hernandez, he unfortunately took his first loss of the season on Saturday night after giving up four runs in six innings. Prior to that game, King was 6-0 on the season and the Mariners had won in all seven of his starts.

On Sunday the Mariners took care of business with a 5-0 shutout. James Paxton silenced the Beantown lineup through eight innings, earning his second win. Brad Miller punctured a moon crater with his third homer in two games.

The Mariners bats have vastly improved from last year considering the amount of shell shockers in the lineup but they still have been inconsistent in terms of actual on the board. The pitchers haven’t been quite there either as opposed to last season which has been quite costly. Especially the bullpen which led the league in ERA just a year ago. Over the past few games, the staff looks to be getting back on track. Perhaps this team will still be able to meet the high expectations that were set for them at the beginning of the year.

“We haven’t played well to this point, but when we lose, it seems like the world is coming to an end,” said Mariners General Manager Lloyd McClendon in a post-game interview. “But the fact is we were 6-3 on this homestand. That is a pretty good homestand and it’s certainly something to build on. Hopefully we will take that momentum on the road with us.”

This weekend, the Mariners will take on the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-game series as part of a nine-game road trip.

Harrison may be reached at [email protected]