This past weekend was yet another reminder that the Mariners can’t repel firepower of the Astros (and the few teams like them) magnitude. The good news? There’s only one team like that in baseball. Over the past month [since July 22nd] Seattle has allowed 5 runs or fewer in all but 7 of their 30 games. 5 of those games were against Houston. That’s a testament to their starting pitching and their bullpen. Meanwhile, the A’s seem to be falling apart. They’ve lost 8 of 11 with a schedule that isn’t getting easier. And they haven’t fared well against the Mariners this season. Is Seattle simply better? It’s tough to make that argument based on data. Oakland has won more games. They’re got the third best team ERA in the AL (Seattle is 8), a better offense (Oakland trends towards the back - 12th in BA, 8th in slugging, 9th in OPS), and even have the slight edge on Seattle in fielding (by .001). If we're saying the Mariners are a better team, we're basing it on a feeling. A vibe. Or Seattle's inexplicable play in late innings. Want an fun fact? In 25 of Seattle's 126 games this season, the @Mariners took the lead in their final at-bat to win the game (19.8%). Only one team in American League history has had a higher percentage of their games end in a last at-bat victory: the Washington Senators in 1918 (20.0%). . . . . . Catch more takes like this on the Paul Gallant Show, every weekday from 10-11 PT on 710 ESPN Seattle. You can subscribe to the show podcast... - On iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1542096962 - On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6XdDhV5K2HTJeSx86oxkc5 And follow Paul on... - Twitter: https://twitter.com/GallantSays - Instagram: http://instagram.com/seattlesportspawl - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulGallantSports