July Games Recap

The Mariners went 5-3 in July, an improvement of their 4-4 record previous two months, and are now 15-15 when I attend.  There were just three one run games, no shut outs, and we had 1-2 record.  The Mariners scored 31 runs and their opponents 22, for a run differential of nine!  Last month it was 18 vs. 17.  The average attendance was 23,265 vs 19,957 in June.

Our starting pitchers had a higher combined ERA at 2.92 vs 2.59 in June. But it doesn't matter if you don't get the run support.  It is a team game. The starters accounted for 73% of the innings pitched compared to 77% in June.  They accounted for 81% of the runs given up.

Despite having worse stats in practically every category, we scored more runs and won more games.  I guess it comes down to being more clutch in July.  We had three more homers, and more stolen bases but that's pretty much it.   Our OBP was only 49 points higher than our average, nearly identical to the 50 points in June.  Of our 54 total hits in June, 25.9% were extra base hits compared to 16.67% in June. 

Jaso, Seager, and Montero were the only really productive hitters.  Everyone else stunk it up especially Peguero. At least we said goodbye to Ichiro!!!  I think this proves without a doubt it does not matter how many hits you get, what matters is when you get them.

Iwakuma 8 Strong

Davis led the game off with a solo shot but the Mariners scored two in the bottom half of the inning and never looked back.

Royals (51-50)

Davis DH

Rasmus CF

Lawrie 3B

Encarnacion 1B

Snider LF

Escobar SS 

Johnson 2B

Mathis C

Gose RF

Romero (8-7, 5.79)

Mariners (47-57)

Ackley 2B

Saunders CF

Montero C

Jaso DH

Seager 3B

Wells LF

Carp 1B

Peguero RF

Ryan SS

Iwakuma (1-2, 4.56 )

The Mariners are now 15-15 when i attend

Attendance: 22,443

Time: 2:45

Mariners Roll

Millwood went 6.1 innings and Wilhelmsen picked up his 13th save of the season.

Royals (41-58)

Gordon LF

Escobar SS

Moustakas 3B

Butler DH

Betancourt 2B

Pena C

Francoeur RF

Hosmer 1B

Dyson CF

Bruce Chen (7-8, 5.54)

Mariners (45-57)

Ackley 2B

Wells RF

  Saunders CF

Montero DH

Seager 3B

  Olivo C

Carp 1B

  Robinson LF

Ryan SS

Millwood (3-8, 4.13)

The Mariners are now 14-15 when I attend

Attendance:  32,111

Time:  2:42

Mariners Cruise to 6-1 Victory

Jaso got us on the board in the first with a three run shot to right field, and that was all we needed as we added two more in the 2nd and a solo homer launched by Carp 396 feet in the 6th inning.

Royals (41-57)

Gordon LF

Escobar SS

Cain CF

Butler DH

Moustakas 3B

Perez C

Francoeur RF

Hosmer 1B

Getz 2B

Guthrie (0-1, 9.0)

Mariners (44-57)

Ackley 2B

Saunders CF

Montero DH

Jaso C

Seager 3B

Wells CF

Carp 1B

Peguero RF

Ryan SS

Beavan (5-6, 5.54)

The Mariners are now 13-15

Attendance:  14,953

Time:  2:30

Take That, Damn Yankees

Michael Saunders had two base hits, including a home run in the first, as the Mariners beat their former players Freddy Garcia, Alex Rodriguez, Raul Ibanez, and Ichiro Suzuki by a score of 4-2

Yankees (58-38)

Jeter SS

Granderson CF

Rodriguez 3B

Cano 2B

Teixeira 1B

Ibanez LF

Chavez DH

Ichiro RF

Stewart C

Garcia (4-3, 5.37)

Mariners (42-56)

Ackley 2B

Saunders CF

Montero DH

Jaso C

Seager 3B

Wells LF

Carp 1B

Peguero RF

Ryan SS

Hernandez (8-5, 2.82)

Felix went a solid 7.1 innings, giving  up a solo shot to Granderson in the first and then getting out of a bases load jam in the 4th.  After that he pretty much soared until the 8th inning when he hit the leadoff batter, Jeter, who would come around to score after Felix was taken out of the game.

The Mariners are now 12-15 when I attend
Attendance: 31,908
Time of Game:  2:50

Sayonara Ichiro

It was truly a bizarre turn of events today.  I had already sold my personal tickets when, at approximately 3pm, I heard breaking news on the radio that Ichiro was possibly traded.  This is something that I have been dreaming of for around 4 years.  Could it be true!?  Well, turns out it was, as he was shipped to the New York Yankees for a couple of minor league pitchers.  What made it even more weird is that the Yankees were in town for a three game series, so Ichiro would be playing against us!  I rushed home, changed, and headed down to the ballpark to catch a historic game.  I didn't care about the outcome, I was there to celebrate.

We lost 4-1, but who cares!!!!

Mariners Start Second Half On a Familiar Note

They lost ANOTHER one run game, this time 3-2, as they were shutout through 8 innings.  They sure made the 9th an exciting one, but it was too little too late.

Rangers (52-34)

Kinsler 2B

Andrus SS

Hamilton LF

Beltre 3B

Cruz RF

Young 1B

Murphy DH

Napoli C

Martin CF

Holland (5-4,5.63)

Mariners (36-51)

Ackley 2B

Ichiro RF

Wells LF

Montero DH

Seager 3B

Smoak 1B

Olivo C

Saunders CF

Ryan SS

Millwood (3-6,3.69)

I thought Millwood did a pretty good job of keeping the Rangers at bay.  They are full of Mariners killers, practically the entire lineup, so holding them to three runs in 6.2 innings is something I will take from our starting pitcher every outing.  Unfortunately our offense did not suddenly transform over the all-star break.  It wasn't like we didn't have opportunities, we loaded the bases with one out in the 4th but couldn't capitalize.  We had only four hits until we banged three in the bottom of the 9th as we scored two runs.  That's unacceptable.  We have to start scoring early.  And Ackley in particular, along with Smoak, needs to start producing.  He ended the game striking out, with runners at first and third and down by only a run.

This series is going to be very interesting.  If things don't start changing, I predict heads will roll.

The Mariners are now 11-14 when I attend, 5-7 in one run games
Attendance: 23,721
Time of Game:  2:58

Mariners Lose Another Close One

The Mariners lost their 6th game by one run when I attend.  They've won 5 of them.  So out of the 24 games I've been to so far, pretty much half have been one run ballgames.  That's too much tension for one person to take, and we're only halfway through the season!

Orioles (42-37)

Nady LF

Hardy SS

Davis RF

Jones CF

Thome DH

Wieters C

Betemit 1B

Flaherty 3B

Andino 2B

Chen (7-4, 3.73)

Mariners (35-47)

Ichiro RF

Wells LF

Seager 3B

Montero DH

Olivo C

Saunders CF

Smoak 1B

Ackley 2B

Ryan SS

Hernandez (6-5, 3.09)

Felix Hernandez ran into one inning of trouble when he gave up four straight hits to the orioles.  Four runs ended up coming around to score and he was pulled after lasting only 5 1/3 innings.

It was looking dire for awhile as the Mariners were retired in order until one out in the 7th inning.  We made Chen look like Cy Young.  But thankfully Wells hits homer to left to end the perfect game.  We added three more in the 8th to tie the ballgame thanks to four straight hits and a bases loaded walk by Seager.  Unfortunately Montero stranded the runners to tend the inning.  In the top of the 9th Furbush gave up a two out homer to Andino, and we put up no threat in the bottom of the inning to lose by a final of 5-4.  Furbush has been unbelievable this year, so it is unfortunate that he slips up in a tied ballgame.

The Mariners are now 11-13 when I attend
Attendance: 16,270
Time of Game: 2:59

Olivo and Ackley Go Back To Back

Joy of joys, the Mariners scored more than a couple of runs, and even had TWO homers in the 8th inning as they won 6-3.  And, we saw a little history as for the first time in ML History a team featured three Japanese born players in the starting lineup.

Orioles (42-36)

Andino 2B

Hardy SS

Betemit 3B

Jones CF

Thome DH

Wieters C

Davis RF

Reynolds 1B

Pearce LF

Hammel (8-3, 3.29)

Mariners (34-47)

Ichiro RF

Wells CF

Jaso DH

Seager 3B

Olivo C

Ackley 1B

Figgins LF

Kawasaki 2B

Ryan SS

Iwakuma (1-1, 4.75)

Iwakuma had his first ML start due to injuries, he's been our long reliever all year.  He pitched pretty decently.  There was one pitch he would have liked to do over, the three run homer by Davis in the 4th.  But he went 5 innings, and the Bullpen came in and did what they've been doing pretty much all year long.  The Bullpen only allowed two base runners the final four innings, a walk and a hit batter! The walk was to Thome, passing Mantle for 7th all-time.  Thome just joined Baltimore a few days ago, I can't believe he's still playing!

The Mariners were down 3-1 going into the bottom of the seventh, but we put ourselves up for good with a bases loaded double by Wells in the right-center gap to put us up 4-3.  We added two insurance runs in the 8th via back to back one out homers by Olivo and Ackley.  Ackley's was on the first pitch.

It was nice to see the Mariners come back and score some runs.  However, they need to start learning how to score early to reduce the pressure on their starting pitchers to be perfect.


The Mariners are now 11-12 when I attend.  The roof was closed the entire game.
Attendance: 14,805
Time of Game: 2:34

June Games Recap

As they were in May, the Mariners went 4-4 during the month and are now 10-12 when I attend.  There were an amazing six one run games, 4 of those shut outs (2-2 record).  June 8th was the combine no-hitter.  The Mariners scored 18 runs and their opponents 17, for a run differential of, you guessed it... ONE!  Last month it was 28 vs. 21.  The average attendance was 19,957 compared to 21,028 in May.  June 26th was tied for the third lowest attendance at Safeco with April 19th of last year.  Take out the San Francisco games and the average attendance was 16,541!!

 Our starting pitchers had a slightly higher combined ERA at 2.59 vs 2.48 in May, yet I felt like we had much better performances.  Maybe because all the the games were so tight. Ramirez came in for Beavan, who was sent down to AAA.  His only outing was stellar, but he was the victim of a shutout.  Same with Noesi, good outing yet the offense couldn't come through.  The starters accounted for 77% of the innings pitched compared to 75% in May.  However, they accounted for 94% of the runs!  That's absolutely unbelievable pitching by our Bullpen.

Despite scoring 10 fewer runs than May, we definitely cranked out more hits.  So we are getting people on, we just can't produce runs like we should.  We hit a lot more singles, but had fewer extra base hits and walks.  Our OBP was only 50 points higher than our average, versus 94 in May.  Of our 66 total hits in June, only 16.67% were extra-base hits.  In May, 37.5% of the hits went for extra bases. 

Montero was the big bopper, which is interesting because he had only 1 RBI the entire month of June.  I guess I just picked the right games to go to.  Wells, after being recalled from AAA, went on a tear.  Gutierrez came back from a couple of injuries to make his 2012 debut and was productive.  Smoak continued his ineptitude, I'm sick of his wasted potential. Seager was just as pathetic, but he has been more productive over the year so I'm willing to overlook it.