Felix and Seager Snap 7 Game Skid

It was a beautiful night at the ballpark while Felix cruised through 8 innings of one hit ball and Seager knocked in four runs as the Mariners snapped their 7 game losing streak with a 7-0 shut out.

Twins (7-18)

Span CF

Carroll SS

Mauer DH

Willingham LF

Doumit C

Parmalee 1B

Valencia 3B

Komatsu RF

Casilla 2B

Marquis (2-0, 6.23)

Mariners 11-17

Ackley  2B

Ryan SS

Ichiro RF

Montero C

Seager 3B

Jaso DH

Smoak 1B

Carp LF

Saunders CF

Hernandez (2-1, 2.23)

Felix looked good from the start, he struck out nine while giving up just two walks and a hit.  All of those were in the 4th inning as he loaded the bases.  But Felix pitched his way out of the jam and the Twins were unable to reach base the rest of the game.  At that point, it was still a scoreless game.

The home team had at least one runner reach base in each of the first four innings but was unable to capitalize as they hit into three double plays.  They were retired in order in the 5th but then were able to break through in the 6th inning with two runs.  With the way Felix was pitching, I was sure that the two would be enough and it turned out to be the case.  Ackley lead off the inning with an infield single.  Then, Ryan was able to get down a sacrifice bunt to advance Ackley.  In the 3rd inning Ryan had been unable to sacrifice Saunders and Ackley (after back to back walks to start the inning) with failed bunt attempts, and ended up striking out.  In the third, Ichiro then hit into a double play.  This time,  Ichiro then drew an eight pitch walk.  Montero followed with a groundout to the pitcher that advanced the runners, with two outs.   Seager then took a 2-0 pitch up the middle for a two rbi single and we had all the runs Felix would need.  Jaso followed by what I like to call the "intentional unintentional" walk as Smoak has been struggling all year.  Sure enough, he ended the inning with a flyball to left.

We added on a bunch of insurance in the 7th inning.  While it was exciting to see, we didn't need it, but it would good to see production out of our lineup.  Carp leadoff with a walk, then Saunders laid down a bunt for a single.  They put in Wells as pinch runner for Carp.  Ackley drew another walk, loading the bases for Ryan who had already laid down a sacrifice bunt his previous at-bat.  This time, he did his job with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Wells and advancing Saunders to third.  So here comes Ichiro.  1st and 3rd with 1 out, similar to his 3rd inning at-bat when there were runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out and he hit into a double play.  This time... he didn't.  He launched an 0-1 pitch the the "sweet spot" in right-center for a TRIPLE!  It was now 5-0.  One out later, on his first pitch, Seager launched his 4th home run of the year to right field that traveled 395 feet.  7-0 Mariners and that was the ballgame.

Easy for me to say that Seager is the player of the game with his 2 hits and 4 RBI, closely followed by Felix.  He was excellent, but without Seager's offense it could have been a whole different ballgame.  It is important to support Felix, as he pitches his heart out every game and rarely sees a reward for his efforts.  Felix didn't come out to pitch the 9th, but I guess it was because there was no need.  The game was in hand, no reason to risk his health on a cold night.  I was hoping to see a complete game from him.

Everyone in the lineup contributed, by either getting on base or producing a run.  That's what you like to see.  We had had 7 hits and 8 walks, with only 2 strikeouts.  This has already been a streaky season and we are only a month in, it is going to continue to be a long but interesting ride.

Mariners now 3-5 when I attend
Attendance:  28,437
Time of Game: 2:33

Unlucky Seven

I think this is the most angry I've felt after a loss this year, we had this game in the bag but blew our 2-0 lead in the seventh inning to end up losing our SEVENTH straight game, by a score of 3-2.  Nowhere near the 17 game losing streak last year, but still painful and frustrating.

Twins (6-18)

Span CF

Carroll SS

Mauer DH

Willingham LF

Doumit RF

Valencia 3B

Parmelee 1B

Casilla 2B

Butera C

Pavano (1-2,4.91)

Mariners (11-16)

Ackley 2B

Liddi 3B

Ichiro RF

Montero C

Seager DH

Smoak 1B

Carp LF

Saunders CF

Ryan SS

Vargas (3-2 ,3.38)

Earlier in the game we found out that Figgins has been demoted to a utility player.  Despite the promise of the first couple of weeks he just isn't cutting it, which is a huge shame since he was such a great player for Anaheim.  For now, Ackley will take the lead off spot.

Vargas pitched well, once again we couldn't do much offensively, and a huge mental lapse in the 7th by Wilhelmsen ruined another great outing by Vargas.  We got our hits, but except for the 5th inning couldn't capitalize.

We got leadoff singles in the 1st and 2nd innings, but hit into double plays.  Then, in the 5th inning we got three doubles.  Montero and Seager hit back to back doubles to left center to start it off, followed by a flyout by Smoak.  Montero's looked like it had a chance to go out.  Then, Carp, in his first home game since coming off the DL (after injuring himself in the first game in Japan) hit a rocket line drive to right that drove Seager in.  We were up 2-0 with one out.  A sacrifice fly and single should have made it at least 3-0.  But Saunders was caught looking, and Ryan's single (second of the game) up the middle was stopped by Carroll from going into the outfield.  Carp had to hold up at third.  If Carroll hadn't snagged it... my feelings about the game may have totally changed.  So Ryan was denied the RBI, and Ackley hit a fly ball to left to end the inning, stranding runners on 1st and 3rd.

Ryan's single in the 3rd broke an 0-26 hitless streak.  He came into the game batting only .125, so at least one positive of the game is that he got two hits and broke out of his slump.  Montero continues to hit well with his single and double.  Olivo injured himself on the road trip so we will be seeing more of Montero behind the plate until he comes back.

With one out in the 7th inning, leading 2-0, Vargas gave up his 4th hit on his 103rd pitch of the game via a double by Parmalee.  It was the first extra-base hit by Minnesota in 25 innings.  So Wedge decided to pull Vargas for Wilhemsen, our usual 8th inning guy, who proceeded to load the bases by walking the first two batters he faced.  Then, Span hit a ball back to the mound which Wilhelmsen barehanded.  He had plenty of time for the force at home, but for some reason whipped around and went for the force at 2nd.  Well, he had a wild throw and Ackley had to work to keep it from going into the outfield and causing more damage.  The run scored, the bases were still loaded.  So instead of a minimum 2 outs with the bases still loaded (and possibly being out of the inning via a 1-2-3 DP) the score was now 2-1, bases still loaded, only 1 out.  The next batter, Carroll, took the count full and he hit a grounder to Smoak who went to second to try and start a 3-6-3 DP.  We were only able to get the first part, forcing Span.  The runner scored, tying the game.  Wilhelmsen was replaced with a round of boos, and Furbush then gave up the lead on a single by Mauer.  That was the ballgame.  Wilhelmsen has probably been our most solid relief pitcher this year, but he just didn't have a good outing.  To top it off he had a brain fart. I don't care what team you are playing, you can not give a ML team an extra out.

Sometimes it is the little things that turn into the game changers.  Carroll kept Ryan's single from making it through the infield, saving an RBI.  Wilhelsmen, with a brain fart, lets the Twins off the hook. 

The Mariners are now 0-3 on Fridays, and 2-5 when I attend.
The Roof was closed.
Attendance : 22,492
Time of Game: 2:42

Well, we just didn't get it done today. Felix Hernandez wasn't as sharp as he needed to be in the first inning, and it cost us. He gave up 2 runs and 1 hit in the first which led to 2 runs, and that's all Minnesota needed as we lost 2-1. In 8 of Felix's 10 starts he has given up 2 earned runs or less, and his record is 4-4. That's just a shame, all you can ask of any pitcher is to go 8 innings and give up a measly two runs... they shouldn't have to be perfect!

With a runner on 1st with one out, Olivo tried to break up the fielder's choice play at 2nd in the 9th. At this point we were down 1 and it was a huge play, could have been the difference between a win and a loss. Well, Wedge ejected. You could tell as soon as he got out there. There was a lot of gesturing and very close quarters, it looked like the brims of their caps were touching. After he got ejected he stuck around a few more moments. I was hoping for an exciting dirt kick or hat tossing, but they don't make managers like good ol' Lou anymore. Well Wedgie, congrats on your first ejection. Replays on the TV showed that it was a really close play, almost too close to call... in one angle Olivo was safe, in another he was out.

Sadly the flag was at half staff and a moment of silence before the game as Harmon Killebrew, MLB Hall of Famer and Legend, passed away this morning. He was one of the greats, without a doubt.

There is some good news to come out of the ballgame. Gutierrez will be activated tomorrow! He's been out the entire year because of an undiagnosed case of IBS. He had lost 10-15 pounds and all reports say he's pretty much full strength. We need this, defensively and offensively... and just in time for "Death to Flying Things" fly swatter day this Thursday.

Another positive, after allowing a walk to the first batter in the 9th, League got out of the inning with no damage by inducing a double play. After his disastrous previous 5 outings, let's hope he is on the way to turning things around.

I ate kettle corn and a hot dog.

The attendance was 16,015 and the Mariners are now 6-5 when I attend.

Three Peat

Wow, so much to talk about on this one. Since the last game I went to, the Mariners had gone 0-6 coming into the game including a disaster of a road trip in which they lost 4 out of the 5 games the final AB.... and 2 rain outs in Cleveland. The Twins came into the game having lost 8 in a row and the worst team in baseball. Someone had to win, I'm glad it was us... although we tried to make it interesting in the top of the ninth!

Pineda was scheduled to start yesterday but because of the postponement he was pushed back to today and Felix to tomorrow. It didn't faze him, in fact he had no-no type stuff through 2.2 innings. I was just starting to regret not bringing my scorebook when he gave up a single in the third. Overall he gave up three hits and hit a batter while striking out seven in 7 innings. The dude's composure is well behind his years. I keep waiting for him to falter, it will happen eventually, but right now he sure is fun to watch and brings excitement to the ballpark. As the late, great Niehaus said "DIABOLICAL!"

The only trouble he got into was in the sixth inning, through no fault of his own. With two out Luis Rodriguez committed and error, one of three in the game, which was followed by a single by Kubel (who sucks defensively, by the way) and then hit Morneau to load the bases. At that point it was a two run game after we'd scored single runs in the 1st and 3rd innings. But Pineda gathered himself and got Cuddyer to hit into a Fielder's Choice. The game was pretty much over at that point... all that was in his way from a win was our bullpen (at least League was sitting after blowing four consecutive outings... first time in Mariners history for a relief pitcher, by the way). It was our defense that almost failed us...

We got some insurance runs in the bottom of the 6th that we ended up needing, with the first back to back homers of the year for the Mariners by Kennedy and Peguero. It was Peguero's 2nd HR of his career. The first was Friday in Cleveland (which was last official game) so he has hit them in two consecutive games. I have never seen a homer like Peguero's... it was literally a line drive straight over the fence. It would have kept going if not for the stands. Kennedy also had a sacrifice in the 8th inning to make it 5-0. I won't mention his error in the 9th, it was a routine dribbler to him just a few few off of first (a little league play) and he simply bobbled it. Could have been because he had just moved over there due to Smoak being pulled for precautionary reasons?

Anyway, we almost threw the 9th away with two errors, the other was by Figgins which should have resulted in a game ending double play. They scored two runs but we hung on and ended our losing streak. Sure hope we can put together something on this homestand, tomorrow we're going for the sweep in the short two games series.

One annoying note, the radio was 5 seconds behind the action for the first five innings... which was REALLY weird and kind of off putting. Eventually it was fixed.

Attendance was 14,859 with the roof "extended" before the first pitch. The giveaway was yet another "bag of dirt", which means I now have three. I found out that you could "check-in" at Safeco and receive deals/specials so I was intrigued. I downloaded the free MLB at-bat application for my cellphone and used it for the first time tonight. The free version is sort of lacking in features but I was able to get $2 off a Torta. So I only paid $6.50 which is pretty good for ballpark fare. Too bad the torta still isn't that great.

The Mariners are Now 6-4 when I attend and are 17-23 overall.