GLENDALE, Ariz. — The ACL Mariners missed an opportunity to create more separation in the Arizona Complex League West standings Tuesday, falling 6-2 to the ACL Dodgers at Camelback Ranch.

Despite the loss, Seattle (34-24) remains in first place in the ACL West by a half-game over the ACL Royals with just two games left in the regular season. Wednesday’s matchup between the division rivals now carries major postseason implications.

The Mariners managed only three hits while striking out 11 times, but the afternoon’s biggest concern came in the third inning when shortstop Nick Becker was forced to leave the game after being hit on the left elbow by a pitch. Becker did not return, prompting a defensive shuffle that moved Leandro Romero to shortstop while Bryant Mendez entered the game.

Seattle grabbed an early lead in the first inning. Becker drew a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Leandro Romero’s RBI single to center field, giving the Mariners a 1-0 advantage.

Starting pitcher Po-Chun Lin once again gave Seattle a chance to win. The right-hander struck out seven over 4 2/3 innings while allowing four hits and three earned runs. Lin generated swings and misses throughout the afternoon and limited the Dodgers’ offense for much of his outing, with Reyli Mariano’s two-run homer in the third accounting for the biggest damage against him.

The game slipped away in the late innings after Wuillians Rodriguez entered in relief. Rodriguez recorded four outs but allowed three runs, including home runs by Reyli Mariano and Abel Lorenzo, as the Dodgers extended their lead and pulled away.

Seattle’s offense struggled to generate sustained pressure against Dodgers pitching. Romero finished with one hit and an RBI, while Martin Gonzalez doubled and later scored in the seventh on Diego Contreras’ RBI groundout. Bryant Mendez added the Mariners’ only other hit after replacing the injured Becker.

The Mariners finished 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight runners, unable to capitalize on several scoring opportunities.

Although the bullpen couldn’t keep the game within reach, Lin’s outing continued a recent trend of strong starting pitching, giving Seattle an opportunity to stay in the game before the Dodgers broke it open late.

Now the focus shifts squarely to Wednesday’s showdown with the ACL Royals.

With only two games remaining in the regular season, the Mariners still control their own destiny in the ACL West. Seattle enters Wednesday holding a slim half-game lead over Kansas City, making the head-to-head matchup one of the most significant games of the season. A win would put the Mariners in prime position to secure the division entering Thursday’s regular-season finale.