Three things I learned from John Smoltz during the Mariners 4-3 loss to Cleveland

1. Back in his day, pitchers used to throw more fastballs.

But that’s not how the pitchers in today’s game went about their business. Logan Gilbert relied on his slider and splitter go get through his first five innings in total control. Through those five innings, he had struck out four to just one walk and allowed just a single run, a nonsense one allowed after José Ramírez reached base on a swinging bunt. Guardians starter Gavin Williams used his fastball a bit more than Gilbert, but tortured the Mariners with his curveball, which they just could not pick up or do anything with. Through his first six innings, he’d struck out seven while allowing just a single walk and three hits, two by Randy Arozarena and one by Julio Rodríguez. Julio could have scored easily after that hit except for a dynamite play by Steven Kwan. But Kwan was just taking revenge for an earlier web gem by Julio.

2. Back in his day, pitchers went deeper into games.

Would it surprise you to learn that the majority of this game’s run-scoring came after the fifth inning, when the starters were facing their opponents for a third time? In the sixth inning, on his third time through the order, Logan gave up a two-out walk and then a home run to Kyle Manzardo. Half an inning later, in his third time through, Williams surrendered a homer to Jorge Polanco. Through five and a half innings, the score was 1-0. Six outs later, it was 3-1. Those innings ended the starters’ nights.

To be fair to Smoltz, the first relievers to enter the game did not acquit themselves particularly well. For the Mariners, Caleb Ferguson coughed up a run after giving up some solid contact and yet another game-winning RBI from Steven Kwan. For the Guardians, Hunter Gaddis allowed a lead-off walk to Cole Young and then surrendered a big boy tank to Julio, cementing Julio’s Sun Hat Award.

3. Back in his day, the Guardians had a different name.

After he slipped, he excused himself by calling attention to last night’s celebration of the 30th anniversary of the 1995 ALCS, at which point the Guardians still used their old name. It was rude of Cleveland to hold that celebration when the Mariners were in town, but rude in a way I respect. That’s not altogether different from how they won tonight’s game, on the back of Steven Kwan, who I love and just wish he wouldn’t play so well against Seattle.