Seattle Mariners pitcher Andres Munoz (75) looks on after walking Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (not pictured) to force in the winning run in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Mariners relief pitcher has brutal ninth inning to lose game to Brewers

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 4/5/24

The Milwaukee Brewers' 6-5 win over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night was the most literal definition of a walk-off win.

Not only did they win when William Contreras drew a bases-loaded walk from Andres Munoz to push across Sal Frelick for the game-winning run, but they did it without ever having to put a ball in play in the inning.

A walk-off walk isn't really all that uncommon. It happens. But getting one without even registering a hit in the inning is a little different.

Munoz ultimately walked four of the five batters he faced in the inning, mixing in a strikeout to Brewers rookie Jackson Chourio.

Here is the game-deciding walk.

Taking the term 'walk-off' VERY seriously@Wcontreras42 https://t.co/URfwysV9Ng pic.twitter.com/VaGxvs9KEM
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) April 6, 2024

It was a shocking performance from Munoz because he has been an extremely reliable relief pitcher for the Mariners over the past three years.

He is an extremely hard thrower who strikes out more than 12 batters per nine innings with a 2.91 ERA. His career ERA+ is 136, with 100 being a league-average pitcher. He is typically dominant.

The only drawback is that Munoz sometimes struggles with control. That happened in a big way on Friday, and it resulted in a tough loss.

He threw just nine of his 26 pitches in the inning for a strike, and four of those came in the one at-bat to Chourio. Four of his five pitches to him were in the zone. Only five of his 21 pitches to every other batter found the zone.

It is an especially tough loss because the Mariners had rallied in the top of the ninth inning with two runs to tie the game.

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