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

League Blows the Game, Smoak Heats Up

I really thought we had this game... until League entered.  I have never felt safe with League, and sure enough he turned a 4-3 lead into a 6-4 loss on Ackley Bobblehead Night.

Angels (21-25)

Trout CF

Izturis 2B

Pujols 1B

Morales DH

Trumbo RF

Callaspo 3B

Aybar SS

Calhoun LF

Hester C

Santana (2-6, 4.22)

Mariners (21-26)

Saunders CF

Liddi 3B

Ichiro RF

Seager 2B

Smoak 1B

Jaso DH

Montero C

Carp LF

Kawasaki SS

Beavan (2-4, 4.46)

The Mariners had ample opportunity to put this game out of reach early, but just couldn't get it done.  We only scored 1 run in the first after loading the bases with one out (via a leadoff single and walks by Liddi and Seager).  Smoak got a fielder's choice RBI.  It looked like Seager was actually safe at second, the shortstop was clearly off the base but the ump made the call he made.  It should have been bases still loaded with only one out. So, Jaso walked to load the bases again, but Montero ended the inning with a groundout.  So it was 1-0 after the first inning, a good team would have at least two, possibly three, runs.  Unfortunately we have a horrible number three hitter in Ichiro.  He isn't a threat for a big homer or solid double with runners on.  The experiment needs to stop, I'm so sick of his rally killers.

We got our second run in the third after a leadoff double by Ichiro and one out RBI single by Smoak.  It was his second RBI of the game.  Then Jaso walked.  BUT another rally died as Montero hit into a 6-4-3 double play.  We finished our scoring in the fifth inning.  Seager hit a double to right field, and then Smoak took a 0-1 pitch into the right field stands to put us up 4-0.  He drove in all of our runs tonight, and is definitely showing signs that he is breaking out.

Beavan pitched another solid game, he tends to quietly go out there and do his thing but runs into an inning where he runs into an issue.  With our offense, it usually means the difference in the game.  Beavan's bad inning tonight was the sixth, when Pujols delivered a monster 3 run homer to center that was estimated at 410 feet.  Pujols came into the game batting only .225 with 5 homers and 22 rbi.  If you recall, he signed a huge contract this offseason after leaving his original team, St. Louis. 

So the score remained until a nightmare of a ninth inning, in which League gave up a first pitch single to Trumbo.  Bourjos came in to pinch run, that dude is fast!  Callaspo then worked a walk, and on an 0-1 pitch Aybar hit a bad sacrifice bunt back to League.  Instead of going for the sure out at 1st, League decided to try and get speedy Bourjos with a force at third base.  Yep, didn't happen.  Instead he threw it away, the tying run scored and the had runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out.  Aybar was then intentionally walked to load the bases and force an out on any base.  Pinch hitter Kendrick then laced his first pitch right up the middle to score the final two runs of the game.  The boo birds came out.  If Trout hadn't ground into a double play for the first outs of the inning, who knows how much more damage they would have racked up.

Needless to say it was a disappointing and frustrating night.  I don't ever want to see League in a save situation again.  I'm not buying it, nobody is buying it anymore.  We should have traded him when we had the chance last year.

The Mariners are now 6-7 when I attend
Attendance: 23,517
Time of Game: 2:52

Mariners Spoil Another Fister Start

It seemed like every time I saw Fister pitch last year, we ruined his great outing in some way.  Mostly it was from a lack of scoring, once it was that phantom walk (three pitch walk).  Well, we did it again. Only this time, it was for our benefit as we scored 3 in the 9th to spoil Fister's outstanding start for the Tigers.

Tigers (14-13)

Jackson CF

Dirks LF

Cabrera 3B

Fielder 1B

Young DH

Avila C

Peralta SS

Boesch RF

Raburn 2B

Fister (0-0, 0.00)

Mariners (13-17)

Ackley 2B

Ryan SS

Ichiro RF

Montero C

Seager 3B

Jaso DH

Smoak 1B

Carp LF

Saunders CF

Beavan (1-3, 4.45)

Fister was off the DL after hurting himself in his first start of the year, and he looked like the same old Fister.  I had mixed feelings, I love watching the man pitch but not at our expense.  We outlasted him, got to their Bullpen and were lucky enough to meet a very wild Dotel.

Beavan went out after the third inning after a strange 1-5-4-3 double play to end the third.  Cabrera absolutely smoked the ball straight up the middle and it ricocheted off Beavan's elbow.  Iwakuma came on in relief, only his third appearance of the season, and after a shaky 4th inning in which he allowed 1 run on three hits (sandwiching three strikeouts), he retired the order in the 5th and 6th innings.  Our relievers were outstanding tonight, keeping us in the game. 

The Tigers scored in the first inning on two doubles, the second by Fielder.  It wasn't hit very hard, but was a pop up that just managed to land right next to the foul line, far enough out of reach of Carp, Wells, and Seager.  Wells was roaming around Left Center so he had no chance, Ryan barely missed it.  I would call Fielder's RBI double a bloop one.  He had another softly hit bloop single against Iwakuma in the 4th, and came around to score on a broken bat single by Boesch.  So the Tigers weren't hitting us hard, I would say their hardest hit ball was the one that put Beavan out of the game.

Fister, in the meantime, went 7 strong innings, allowing only 4 hits in the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 7th with 73 pitches.  He probably could have finished the game, but I'm glad he didn't!

In the 9th inning Ryan and Ichiro both drew walks.  Then, on the first pitch to Montero, Dotel threw a Wild Pitch advancing the runners to 2nd and 3rd with nobody out.  I looked at the remaining players to come up:  Seager, and Jaso, and was fully confident that we had just won the game.  I knew that Montero would either get a sac fly or a base hit to score the runs, and that Seager and Jaso would do something magical.  On his 2-0 pitch, Dotel threw wildly again, Avila couldn't handle it and it got past him to score Ryan and put Ichiro on third via the passed ball.  Montero then launched a fullcount bomb to deep center field.  On a warmer night it would have been gone, but it bounced off the the wall for an RBI double, and the ballgame was tied.  Montero absolutely crushed it.  Dotel was done, and Kawasaki came in to pinch run.  This meant that if we went to extra innings we probably would have lost our DH as Jaso would have switched to catcher.  But we had three outs still to play with, and like I said I was fully confident.

Sure enough, Seager, probably our most consistent hitter lately, immediately put down a sac bunt to advance Kawasaki to third.  And then, Mr. Clutch John Jaso came up to the plate.  He'd already won two games for us this year.  We had all the momentum... and sure enough after fouling back the first pitch Jaso hit a fly to right field, and Kawasaki beat the throw to score the winning run.  The team poured out and swarmed Jaso.  The fans went crazy, and everyone went home happy.  It was a great comeback win and nobody could ask for a better way to end a ballgame.

Can't pin down the player of the game, too many played such an important role.

The Mariners are now 4-5 when I attend and 1-2 in 1 run games
Attendance: 14,462
Time of Game: 2:31

A Perfect Game

Wow, what can I say?  We saw history at the ballpark today, as Philip Humber threw the 21st Perfect Game in MLB history.  27 up, 27 down, and I saw every minute of it.  Sometimes you just have to tip your cap, and appreciate the moment.

19 years ago, almost to the day, I had been at Chris Bosio's no-hitter but left early (didn't realize it was a no-no), this afternoon I was aware of every single moment.  It was probably around the third inning, after we'd been through our lineup once, that I noticed how well Humber was pitching (or was it our ineptness?).  It wasn't until the 5th inning when we went down on 8 pitches that I knew something special was going on.  You could feel it, he was in the zone and we were at a loss offensively.  

Philip Humber - 21st Perfect Game in ML History!

Lost in the game, another great performance by Beavan and our pitching staff, but who really cares how well they pitched, or a rundown of the White Sox scoring... in ten years nobody will remember.  Hell, in two months!

After the pile the celebration continued

The game ended with controversy as it looked like, to me and several others, that pinch hitter Ryan had checked his swing on a wild ball four... but Home Plate umpire Brian Runger said he went around, and Pierzynski was able to hunt down the ball and throw Ryan out at first.  Humber collapsed to the ground, his teammates piled on top of him.  I tried to take in the moment, and also tried to capture it on my camera phone... but it doesn't really do justice.  Everyone in the stadium was really excited to be a part of history, most of the crowd was cheering Humber on when the bottom of the 9th began.  I couldn't... I was hoping we would at least get a walk.  I can take a no-hitter... but a Perfect Game against my team?  Hard to digest.

It is still a bit surreal, I'm not sure what to think about what I just witnessed.  From the seventh inning on I was a bundle of nerves and kept making mistakes on my scoresheet!  I didn't know Lillibridge had come in as a defensive replacement for Viciendo in the 8th inning until he came up to bat in the 9th (and scored the final run).  I put Jaso in as pinch hitter for Saunders instead of Olivo!  My hands were shaking, my heart was racing... I think I am still in shock.  Not many people can say they've seen such a game live and in person, but now I have.

One of the reasons I love baseball is that, as I have mentioned before, you never know what you are going to see at the ballpark.  There is always a chance for History, and today proved that.  Humber isn't one of the elite pitchers in the game, but now his name will live on forever.  Congrats to Humber, now let's shake this off and win tomorrow.

The Mariners are now 2-4 when I attend
Attendance: 22,472
Time of Game: 2:17

Chicago White Sox Scoresheet for Humber's Perfect Game

4-21-2012 - 27 Up, 27 Down, Humber's Name is Hall of Fame Bound as he is Perfect

A Stinker

That's the best way I can sum it up.  We just stunk.  Total blowout, our offense was inept and only managed 4 hits as we lost 7-0.  Beavan, who had been doing pretty well lately, was not sharp.

Athletics (72-88)

Weeks 2B

Crisp CF

Matsui LF

Willingham DH

Dejesus RF

Sizemore 3B

Suzuki C

Allen 1B

Sogard SS

Cahill (11-14, 4.31)

Mariners (67-93)

Ichiro RF

Rodriguez SS

Ackley DH

Carp LF

Smoak 1B

Olivo C

Seager 2B

Liddi 3B

Saunders CF

Beavan (5-5, 3.82)

Beavan ended up going exactly 5 innings, giving up eight hits and all seven runs.  It started in the first with a 3 Run BOMB by Willingham to deep left field.  The Mariners threatened in the 1st inning with back to back singles by Ichiro and Rodriguez, but Ackley struck out and Carp ground to second for a double play.  Beavan gave up two more runs in each of the third and fifth innings.  The 5th inning runs were thanks to another homer, this time by Sizemore.  The only other possible scoring opportunity by the Mariners was in the 7th inning with runners on 1st and 2nd with one out, but the runners were stranded.  The Mariners had 4 hits, 1 BB, 8 K, and 4 LOB.  I'm hoping that we will end the season on a positive note tomorrow, with some signs of offense.

Att: 18,600

Mariners earn 10th Shutout

The Mariners put in a solid performance, shutting out their opponent for the 10th time this season behind the excellent pitching of Beavan.  He ended up going 8 strong innings, giving up only four hits.  League wrapped up his 45th save of the year by striking out the side.  

Rangers (86-64)

Kinsler 2B

Andrus SS

Hamilton LF

Young 3B

Beltre DH

Murphy RF

Torrealba C

Moreland 1B

Chavez CF

Wilson (16-6, 3.01)

Mariners (62-87)

Ichiro RF

Ryan SS

Ackley 2B

Olivo C

Carp 1B

Pena DH

Seager 3B

Robinson LF

Wells CF

Beavan (4-5, 4.32)

The Mariners scored 3 of their 4 runs in a 41 pitch 3rd inning, thanks to a key error. Wells and Ryan were on 1st and 2nd, respectively, with 2 outs when Ackley came to the plate.  The count was 3-2 and he hit a chopper to Kinsler.  Kinsler fielded it fine but his throw to first was way off.   It ended up being a 2 base error as Wells scored and Ryan ended up at 3rd.  Chalk it up to Ackley's speed, a brain fart?  I don't know, but I'll take it.  Just three pitches later and a wild pitch got past Torrealba, scoring Ryan.  Olivo ended up with an infield single to shortstop followed by an RBI single off the second base bag for Carp. Pena was then hit by a pitch on his foot to load the bases, but Seager struck out for the final out. It was a wild inning, and one that Niehaus would have enjoyed.  Remember, this was all with 2 outs.  So we got an error, wild pitch, and freak hit to thank for the 3 runs as we went through the lineup.  That was all we needed, but they added an insurance run in the 7th inning as Wells lead off with a homer into the Rangers' bullpen, and we won 4-0.  Special note, Wells worked a full count in each of his at-bats tonight.  

Now 17-21 when I attend!
Att: 17,607

Carp Snaps Streak

Losing streak, that is.  The Mariners played spoiler, knocking off the Angels 5-3 on one of their better games of the year.  We had everything, great hitting, great defense, and solid pitching.  Seeing as how we came into the game 20 games under, the only thing to look forward to is the role of spoiler and the continued development of our youngsters.  The Angels are fighting for the AL West top spot with the Rangers, but they will have to wait at least another day for a win.

Angels (72-61)

Izturis 3B

Kendrick 2B

Abreu DH

Hunter RF

Trumbo 1B

Wells LF

Aybar SS

Bourjos CF

Conger C

Pineiro P

Mariners (56-76)

Ichiro RF

Gutierrez CF

Ackley 2B

Carp 1B

Olivo C

Kennedy DH

Wells LF

Seager 3B

Ryan SS

Beavan P

Trumbo is a freaking beast of a rookie... he came into the game hitting 256 with 18 homers and 71 RBI.  He added 2 more RBI with his 2 run homer in the 4th.  The Angels added another run that inning, but that was pretty much all she wrote for their offense!

Ackley was a homer shy of a cycle, Wells got two outfield assists (3rd and 7th) as well as walked in 3 out of his 4 plate appearances (one intentional), and Carp crushed the game winning 2 run homer 432 feet to the hit it here cafe in the 8th as the Mariners won 5-3 in a thrilling game.  There were only 16,990 fans, which is pathetic considering the weather was beautiful and it is still August!  The Mariners hit a season high 7 extra base hits.  Ichiro had 2 of them, both doubles in which he came around on a sac fly to left field in the first and Ackley's triple in the 5th (which tied the game at 3).  He now has 153 hits on the year with 29 games to go on his quest for 200.  I really hope he doesn't get it.

Garlic Chicken
14-16 when I attend
I scored, but let my sister score for nearly half of the game.  She did a good job and I think had a good time.

Morrow Returns

It was the return of Brandon Morrow, our former #1 pick from several years ago.  After screwing around with him for a couple of years... we finally traded him away to Toronto for a fresh start.  He has days where he is just on, lights out... and then days when he gets rocked!  I was there for his first ML Start in which he took a no-hitter into the 8th inning.  Tonight was one of those nights.  At one point he struck out 5 in a row, ending up with 12k in 6 total innings.  He gave up just one run and picked up the win as the Mariners fell to the Blue Jays 5-1.

Blue Jays (62-60)

Escobar SS

Thames LF

Bautista RF

Lind 1B

Encarnacion DH

Rasmus CF

Lawrie 3B

Hill 2B

Molina C

Morrow P

Mariners (53-68)

Ichiro DH

Gutierrez CF

Ackley 2B

Carp 1B

Wells RF

Robinson LF

Seager 3B

Bard C

Wilson SS

Beavan P

The Blue Jays scored all their runs via the longball.  After hitting three on Monday they hit three more today.  A leadoff solo in the 2nd, 3 run HR in the 3rd, and another leadoff homer in the 4th.  5 runs was all they needed, and then some.  Wells had entered the game hitting home runs in 4 straight games.  Unfortunately this streak came to an end as he was hit on the nose in the 6th inning after striking out his first two times at the plate.  It turns out he was fine, just a little rattled, as x-rays etc came back negative.  However another streak was extended as Carp pushed his hitting streak to 17 games in the 4th.  Ackley had 3ks, he's struggling a little.  We only mustered 3 hits total in the game.

Ate a slice of Pizza
Attendance 26,579
13-14 when I attend and fell to 53-69 overall.

Undefeated in August

I know, I know... this was the first game of the month.  BUT we cruised to an 8-4 victory thanks to a bases clearing triple by Ackley in the 5 run 2nd inning.  '

Oakland Athletics (49-59)

Weeks 2B
Crisp CF
Matsui DH
Willingham LF
Sweeney RF
Jackson 1B
Pennington SS
Suzuki C
Sizemore 3B

Cahill P

Mariners (45-62)

Ichiro RF
Ryan SS
Ackley 2B
Carp DH
Kennedy 1B
Olivo C
Wells LF
Figgins 3B
Gutierrez CF

However, the game may have been decided in the 1st as Beaven loaded the bases on three straight singles, weird singles, with nobody out.  But he got out of the jam and that was pretty much the only trouble he got into until the 7th.  The first hit was a ricochet off his leg followed by a line drive right over Ryan into center, who was going to 2nd to cover Weeks.  Weeks advanced to 3rd and then Matsui, batting .528 on a 9 game hitting streak, hit to 3B that ended up a single as Figgins tried to tag Weeks.  Stupid choice, Matsui is slow and would have been out.  So, the bases were loaded.  But then rookie pitcher Beavan got the next two batters and called strikes and Jackson ended the inning by flying out to Wells.  If they score there, who knows what happens the rest of the game goes.

We knocked out 16 hits.  Our first was in the first inning, a double by ryan to right field.  In the 2nd inning, after the A's went in order, is when we did our damage.  Olivo flied to center on the first pitch, then Wells, on his first pitch, got a broken bat single right past their 3rd baseman.  It was followed by a Figgins bloop single to left, then a Guti double to right that scored Wells.  Ichiro loaded the bases via a fielder's choice as he hit a chopper right to 3B.  Figgins was looked back to the base and Sizemore couldn't get Ichiro in time on the throw.  Unlike the Athletics in the first, we were able to punch through with the bases juiced.  Ryan picked up an RBI with his single to left and the bases were still loaded.

Which brought up Ackley, coming into the game batting .305 with 5 homers and 20 RBI.  The best hitter on our team since he came up.  The dude is ridiculously good.  He's the best in the majors right now at batting with two strikes, and he didn't disappoint tonight.  On a 1-2 count he lined to RF, but the ball bounced in front of Sweeney and over his glove as he was trying to dive for the ball.  It went all the way to the wall and Ackley had a 3RBI triple.  It is already his 5th triple of the year.  Carp and Kennedy both grounded out to end the inning, but when all the damage was over we had 9 batters, 5 runs, and 5 hits.

We traded Fister and Pauley away on Saturday to Detroit for the new Casper Wells (in the lineup for his second game) as well as Charlie Furbush (P) and a couple of minor leaguers.  We also were able to trade Bedard to Boston on Sunday!  I am sad to see Fister go, I really liked him.  Underrated guy, consistent... his only issue was lack of run support.  Wells ended up getting 2 singles, a run, and was hit by a pitch in his final at-bat.

Figgins was pinch hit for in the 3rd, lots of speculation but it turned out hit hurt his hip flexor diving back to third in the 2nd.  Smoak pinch hit for him in the 3rd and ended up going 2/3 with a walk and two runs scored.  Ended up being a good night on his supposed night off.  Pretty much everyone in our lineup had a good day, only Kennedy failed to reach base.

Ichiro 1-5, R, RBI
Ryan 3-5, 2B, R, RBI
Ackley 2-4, 3B, 3B, BB, R, 3RBI
Carp 1-4, BB,
Kennedy 0-5
Olivo 3-5, RBI
Wells, 2-4, R, HBP
Figgins 1-1, R
Smoak 2-3, 2B, BB, 2R
Gutierrez 1-4, 2B, R, RBI

We added three more runs in three separate innings.  In the 4th Ackley got a double and scored on an Olivo single.  And, in the 5th and 7th Smoak led off each inning with a hit (single and then double) and scored on a wild pitch and soft bloop single by Ichiro.

The attendance was 23.335.  I ate Garlic Chicken and scored the game. The Mariners improved to 11-13 when I attend!