THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: M's need to figure out bats, or ride pitching rest of way

No, since you asked, I was not expecting Mitch Garver to step out of the darkness with a game-winning homer on Monday night.

Garver has not exactly been a bundle of terror as the Mariners DH, and history suggested as much.

Mitch has managed 85 home runs in eight seasons, and 31 of them came in 2019 — by far his loudest year.

You wouldn’t have had much confidence when the Mariners went to the bottom of the ninth, trailing Atlanta 1-0.

More ominously, Seattle had loaded the bases with no out in the eighth, and managed to trudge off empty-handed.

Just as surprising as Garver’s walk-off, 412-foot bomb off A.J. Minter, perhaps, was the fact that Jorge Polanco was on base via a single to set up the two-run homer.

Polanco was hitting .167 through Monday, and Garver .150.

The late dramatics saved Bryce Miller, who took a no-hitter into the seventh and gave up the Braves’ only run on an infield single by Ronald Acuna Jr. and, finally, a sharp double by Ozzie Albies.

The terrific outing by Miller was no surprise, even against Atlanta, since he has an ERA of 2.04 with a WHIP of 0.88 and an opponent batting average of .156.

But Garver?

HE HAD never hit a walk-off in 12 seasons as a professional, even including the minor leagues.

It created such an explosion at T-Mobile Park that Miller, who was in the clubhouse getting treatment on his throwing arm, raced back to the field and joined the celebration.

The Mariners’ often-sputtering offense suggests that they’ll need more evenings of magic like Monday if they hope to win the AL West.

The pitching can carry this team, if the starters remain healthy (they have six for the rotation, counting the rehabbing Bryan Woo).

Bear in mind that this column is being written prior to Tuesday night’s game against the Braves, but so far, the bullpen has held up despite missing Matt Brash and Gregory Santos — both of whom were targeted for high-leverage situations.

Brash made more appearances last year than any other pitcher in MLB.

Still, newcomers like Austin Voth and Cody Bolton, each of whom pitched a scoreless inning to set up Garver’s home run, have plugged the dam so far.

Andres Munoz has had a hiccup here and there as the closer, but he’s a proven competitor — and so is Ryne Stanek, whom the Mariners surprisingly found on the waiver wire.

They’ve also gotten excellent work from lefties Gabe Speier and Tayler Saucedo.

The rotation … you already know.

Luis Castillo and George Kirby both stumbled through some starts in the first couple of weeks, but both seem to have found their normal rhythm.

Kirby struck out 12 in a win over Texas in his last outing.

Logan Gilbert basically has been sharp from the beginning, and he’s sailing along with a 2.03 ERA.

Through Monday, the five starters — with Emerson Hancock subbing for Woo — have racked up 182 strikeouts against just 37 walks over 169 innings.

The Mariners are the only team in MLB with five starters who have turned in at least three quality starts (six or more innings with three or less earned runs).

WE KNEW this already, I think, but Seattle’s fate this season will come down to the bats.

Truthfully, it’s not an imposing lineup.

On the night of Garver’s dramatic blast, the Mariners lineup featured five hitters with batting averages under .200.

Even if shortstop (and leadoff hitter) J.P. Crawford hadn’t been on the injured list, well, he’s flirting with the Mendoza Line, too.

So far, center fielder Julio Rodriguez is just another guy.

He’s pushed his average up around .270 or so, but that includes just a single home run — one less than Luis Urias and two less than Josh Rojas, the two light hitters platooning at third base.

Julio also has taken just six walks, but struck out 37 times.

Is he just swinging wildly (a few of his singles have been bloops when he’s jammed), or even scarier, have pitchers found a weakness that neutralizes J-Rod’s power?

Simple fact: If Julio isn’t going to provide serious damage for this lineup — he has just 11 RBI so far — then the Mariners are going to scuffle to score many runs.

In any event, they’ll need to win plenty of low-scoring games, and pray that the pitchers stay lights out.

Either that, or find more walk-off shockers.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”