Saturday, April 24, 2004
RAINING CATS AND GOPHER BALLS
Sorry this one's late, I had some sudden issues to tend to late last night that kept me from making it past the 3rd in the recap. But here I give you the whole thing at around 2:30 PT.
The Mariners were 6-10 heading into this one. Such a record brings to mind some subpar Seahawk seasons, but also the absolute reverse of last year's 10-6 Seahawk season with the playoff berth.
top 1 -- Ichiro 1-1 1B CF; Spiezio 2-1 1B RF (hit-and-run, Ichiro to 3rd); Boone 1st-pitch DP 4-6-3 (ICHIRO SCORES, SEA 1-0); Edgar 2-2...full...BB; Ibanez 1-2...2-2 U3
bot 1 -- Young 2-2 swing K; Blalock 2-2 1-3; Soriano 2-2 U3
>> The Mariners drew first blood in the first, getting back-to-back singles to start off and then getting the run on a Boone double-play ball. Pineiro had no trouble in the first with the top of the Ranger order.
top 2 -- Aurilia 1-1 6-3; Olerud 2-1 track 8; Davis 2-0...2-2 look K
bot 2 -- Fullmer 1st-pitch U3; Dellucci 1-0 HR LF (5th Pineiro HR this yr, TIE 1-1); Mench 2-2...(fastball barely in) full 9; Nix (checkswing) 0-2 4-3
>> Rich Aurilia was nailed on a Web Gem nominee play by Michael Young on a diving stop. Ben Davis lost the favorable count in his at-bat. Pineiro had a decent 2nd inning except for that part where he gave up the tying homer to Dave Dellucci. That wasn't so good.
top 3 -- Winn 1-2 1B LF under SS glove; Ichiro 2-0 FC 3-6 (beats out DP); Spiezio 2-0 3B RF line (ICHIRO SCORES, SEA 2-1); Boone 3-1 6-3 shallow; Edgar 2-1 track 9
bot 3 -- Laird 1-1 6-3; Gonzalez 1-1 2B RCF; Young 1-1 1B lay bat on ball LF (Young 28 hits leads AL); Blalock 0-2 swing yakker dirt K (a big one, Davis gloves it); Soriano 1st-pitch 1B CF (TIE 2-2); Fullmer 1-0 IF 1B dribbler touched by Joel, Boone no play; Dellucci (yakker) 0-2 (WP backstop, TEX 3-2)...full change swing K
>> Ichiro beats out a double play then scores on a Scott Spiezio double down the rightfield line. With Spiezio on 3rd with one out, Boone grounds out to short, but Ron Fairly believed Spiezio thought the ball was going right back to the pitcher, so he didn't break for home. Then Edgar flies out to the track in right. Dave or Ron pulled up the stat that Randy Winn was a grand 2-for-23 on the last homestand. Ron Fairly continued his multi-inning rant about his perceived increase in the number of infielders in baseball that seem to use the barehand to make plays a little more than they should. Michael Young got a base hit where he just laid the barrel of the bat onto the ball and put it into leftfield. Adrian Gonzalez hit a ball that fell for a double. The thing is, it was sort of a gapper, but I have a problem with a double that doesn't get past a fielder and/or roll all the way to the wall. Bottom line is, Winn (two strides or so short of the ball on the fly) must have been playing back real far or was cheating to the wrong side or SOMETHING. Al Soriano roped an RBI single on his first pitch. Brad Fullmer hit a grounder that Pineiro touched but Boone had no play on. Pineiro threw an 0-2 curve to Dellucci that found the dirt as well as the five-hole of Ben Davis to give Texas the lead.
top 4 -- Ibanez 1-0 2B RF line; Aurilia 1-2 swing K (up/away); Olerud 4-pitch BB; Davis 1st-pitch 4-6-3
bot 4 -- Mench 3-0...3-1 HR CF (fastball over plate, TEX 4-2); Nix 2-0...2-2...(RAIN DELAY) swing K; Laird 0-2 breaking look K; Gonzalez 3-1 BB; Young 3-1 1B CF; Blalock 0-2 2B smash wall RF (TWO SCORE, TEX 6-2, Joel at 77, JARVIS WARMING); Soriano 0-1 bat shatter 1B CF (BLALOCK SCORES, TEX 7-2); Fullmer 1-0 fly 7
>> Raul Ibanez hit a leadoff double and didn't move. Kevin Mench blasted a 3-1 fastball into the grassy area over the CF wall. It was the 6th HR that Pineiro has surrendered this year. Laynce Nix was up with a 2-2 count before the first rain delay of the night came. Coming out of the delay, Pineiro struck out both Nix and Gerald Laird before unraveling. He walked Adrian Gonzalez with the bases empty, then Hank Blalock drove a pitch to deep rightfield that I thought was going to leave the yard. Still, two runs scored on the play to give Texas a 6-2 lead. Around this point, Bob Melvin appeared ready to throw in the towel, as Kevin Jarvis was warming in the bullpen. Dave Niehaus noted that a tornado watch was canceled for the area. Soriano dumped a bat-splitting single into centerfield to score Blalock to make it 7-2. Joel Pineiro had a pitch count of 80 through four.
top 5 -- Winn 1-2...2-2 HBP; Ichiro 0-1 Soriano dive no play; Spiezio 1-0 FC 3-6 (beats out DP); Boone 2-0...2-1 FC 6-4 (WINN SCORES, TEX 7-3); Edgar 2-2 6-3
bot 5 -- Dellucci 1-0 1B CF; Mench 1-2 5-4-3 DP; Nix 1-2...2-2 breaker K
>> Randy Winn was beaned to start it off. Spiezio and Boone beat out double plays, plating Winn. Bret Boone drove in his 10th run of the year. Dellucci hit a leadoff single but was erased on a Mench double play ball. Joel had a fairly easy inning thanks to the pitcher's best friend.
top 6 -- Ibanez 0-1 4-3; Aurilia 0-2 4-3; Olerud 1st-pitch 1B CF; Davis 1-2...full BB; Winn 2-0...3-0 (97 pitches)...3-1 BB; RAMIREZ IN; Ichiro 1-2 swing K
bot 6 -- Laird 2-2 (JARVIS IN PEN, pitch just misses)...full IF 1B deep hole SS; Gonzalez 2-0...full tweener LF 5 small collision Ibanez/Spiezio, Ibanez kneed; Young 1-1 DP 5-3
>> Ryan Drese hit the wall with two outs in the 6th and couldn't get through the inning. Olerud hit a single, Ben Davis battled back from 1-2 to walk, then Winn walked to load the sacks. But there were two out, and Ichiro knew this, so he whiffed on some off-speed junk from Erasmo Ramirez. Before he struck out, I made a Top Forum post about how I was glad Ichiro hit so many balls because he looks horrible when he swings and misses. It appears I cursed him. That's the dumbest I've seen Ichiro look since he faced Pedro a couple years ago. Bob Melvin was armed and ready once again to throw in the towel as Kevin Jarvis was warming up to start the bottom of the 6th. Gerald Laird hit one in the hole at short that Aurilia had no play on. Gonzalez hit a ball in between Ibanez, Spiezio, and Winn. Spiezio caught the ball, but then collided with Ibanez, kneeing him in the hip region. The later prognosis would be a bruised tailbone for Ibanez. Ron Fairly noted that Aurilia couldn't make the play because he was breaking toward second when the runner on first took off. Michael Young then hit into a double play.
top 7 -- Spiezio 1st-pitch 5-3 Young in CF almost; ALMANZAR IN; Boone 2-0 HR RF (TEX 7-4); Edgar 3-0...3-1 solid 7; Ibanez 1-1 1B CF; Aurilia (MAHAY WARMING) 1-1 2B LF (Dellucci dives/misses, TEX 7-5); MAHAY IN; Olerud 1-1 4-3
bot 7 -- JARVIS (TOWEL) IN (Joel gone after 106 pitches), MC CRACKEN IN for Ibanez; Blalock 2-0 1B CF; Soriano 0-1 2B LF (3rd hit); VILLONE IN; Fullmer 2-0 jammed high/tight 3; PH CHAD ALLEN (.518 in minors, righty) 1-0 lineout 3; Mench IBB; Nix 3-1...full looper LF (TWO SCORE, TEX 9-5); Laird 0-2 (wild pitch high above Davis' glove, TEX 10-5)...Davis nice stop on 1-2 pitch in dirt...2-2 swing K
>> The Mariners got deep into the Ranger bullpen in the 7th, as Boone hit a 393-foot blast off Carlos Almanzar to bring the Mariners within three. With one out, Edgar laced a ball right to the leftfielder. A small two-out rally then took place, as Ibanez singled to left, then Aurilia hit a fly ball (off new pitcher Ron Mahay) on which Dellucci had a long way to run to get. Dellucci dove and missed, allowing Ibanez to score from first and bring the Mariners to within two. Then it came: Bob Melvin Throws in the Towel is brought to you by Bed Bath & Beyond, the USS Mariner, and Sports and Bremertonians. Kevin Jarvis threw a total of five pitches. He faced two hitters. He went 2-0 on Hank Blalock, who singled to center. Jarvis' 1-0 pitch to Soriano ended up being laced for a double. Jarvis came in to start the inning, threw FIVE PITCHES, and left with two in scoring position and the same number of outs he had when he came in. Ron "Vanilli" Villone came in, got two outs to give Mariner fans false hope, then proceeded to let Jarvis pay for his debauchery. The righty Kevin Mench was put aboard with two outs to load the bases to face the lefty Laynce Nix. That backfired when Nix looped a single into left to score Jarvis' runners. Gerald Laird had his 0-2 pitch sail up and over Ben Davis' glove and to the backstop to give the Rangers a 10-5 lead.
top 8 -- Davis 1-2...2-2 track 9 RCF; (NELSON WARMING) Winn 2-0...2-1 8; Ichiro 2-0...3-1 BB; Spiezio 2-0...3-1 HR LF (SEA 10-7); NELSON IN; Boone 2-2...full BB; Edgar 1-1 (Boone steals 2nd)...2-1 2B (Boone scores, TEX 10-8); BLOOMQUIST PR; McCracken 2-2...full (RAINING LIKE HELL/lightning) BB; CORDERO IN; Aurilia 2-0...2-2 swing K
bot 8 -- Gonzalez 1st-pitch 4-3; Young 3-1...full IF 1B Spiezio misses barehand (30 hits...RAIN DELAY 1:02); MYERS IN; Blalock 2-2 fly 8; HASEGAWA IN; Soriano 0-1 FC 4-6
>> Mariner fans were prepared for yet another false hope comeback. Davis flew to the track in right, then Winn had a 2-0 count before flying to center. Another two-out flurry ensued, as Ichiro walked and Spiezio hit one over the scoreboard in left. Jeff Nelson came in and had an outing almost as bad as that of Jarvis, walking Boone, serving up Edgar's double, then walking a horrible hitter in Quinton McCracken. At this point, Dave Niehaus made a remark where he called a strong rainstorm a "frog strangler." Aurilia faced Francisco Cordero with two on and two out, had a 2-0 count, then struck out to end the threat. The Mariners were only down 10-8, but where would they have been if Melvin hadn't thrown in the towel? Wouldn't anyone other than Jarvis to start the 7th have been a better idea? All the good that Jarvis has done this year has been of dumb luck. The usual Kevin Jarvis is closer to this than the one that can throw an anomalous three shutout innings after the starting pitcher struggles. Michael Young hit a one-out single before the longer rain delay of the night came, lasting 62 minutes and managing to put my night on hold and bore me all at the same time. KXLE Radio in Ellensburg aired some news talk show and also twice threw in the obnoxious Emergency Alert System. Does anyone agree with me when I say the EAS sounds like a malfunctioning fax machine? Mike Myers was the first pitcher out on the mound after the delay, getting Hank Blalock out and fulfilling the LOOGY role for the night. I doubt Myers broke a sweat. Shigetoshi Hasegawa came in and got Soriano to bounce into a fielder's choice on the second pitch.
top 9 -- Olerud 3-1...full...BB; PH HANSEN 0-2...full lineout 9; Winn 1-2...2-2 U3; Ichiro 3-1 BB; Spiezio 2-2...full...swing K (10 pitch AB)
>> The top of the 9th mercifully came. Francisco Cordero had some turbulence, first by walking Olerud to bring the tying run to the plate. However, he helped his cause by getting Dave Hansen to fly out in the pinch, then getting Winn to bounce out to first. Ichiro then walked to bring the go-ahead run to the pick in Scott Spiezio, who had a cliffhanging, though-it-out 10-pitch at bat, but he whiffed on the tenth pitch to end it.
Looooong game. Dave Niehaus pointed out at some point during the game that the Mariners haven't had a game this year where they've scored first then held the lead to the end of game for the win. My friends and readers, that is not good (I haven't gone through the fact-checking, but I don't doubt it's true).
Gameball: Scott Spiezio. Not just for the obvious reasons. He was 3-for-6, drove in three, and had a bomb. But that last 10-pitch at-bat put him over the top for the gameball on a night where no one else really deserved it. Ichiro's whiff action with the bases loaded and two out cost him my gameball, not just because he struck out with the bases loaded, but because it's Ichiro. Expectations, expectations...
Goat: Kevin Jarvis. I don't care if Ron Villone was the one to score all his runs; Jarvis put them on in the first place. Jarvis had by far the largest crap-per-time ratio of anyone on the team tonight. I'll repeat the stats one last time: 5 pitches, two batters, a single, a double, two runners in scoring position, no outs.
At 7-5 heading into the bottom of the 7th after the Mariners got a couple runs and with Joel Pineiro having thrown 107 pitches (and having had a terrible line of 7 runs and 11 hits), Bob Melvin made the stupid decision to bring in Kevin Jarvis to face Hank Blalock (lefty) and Alfonso Soriano keep the game close. For one thing, like I said, the normal Kevin Jarvis is closer to the one that was in the game tonight rather than the one that is bound to do good every once in a while because he's really not that good.
The offense scored eight runs and pounded out 12 hits. There's still a few things to complain about (stranded 17 runners), but when the Mariners are lucky enough to get 8 runs, they've got to win. Did Joel Pineiro have a crappy outing? Sure. Did they still have a chance to win after they scored two runs in their half of the 7th to make it 7-5? Hell yes. Why did Melvin bring in Kevin Jarvis to face the ever-potent 2nd and 3rd hitters in the Ranger lineup? I'm not sure, other than to say Melvin may have somehow convinced himself that Kevin Jarvis is good. That or the puppetmasters from above are prodding Melvin to use Jarvis.
Garcia. Benoit. Tonight.
The Mariners were 6-10 heading into this one. Such a record brings to mind some subpar Seahawk seasons, but also the absolute reverse of last year's 10-6 Seahawk season with the playoff berth.
top 1 -- Ichiro 1-1 1B CF; Spiezio 2-1 1B RF (hit-and-run, Ichiro to 3rd); Boone 1st-pitch DP 4-6-3 (ICHIRO SCORES, SEA 1-0); Edgar 2-2...full...BB; Ibanez 1-2...2-2 U3
bot 1 -- Young 2-2 swing K; Blalock 2-2 1-3; Soriano 2-2 U3
>> The Mariners drew first blood in the first, getting back-to-back singles to start off and then getting the run on a Boone double-play ball. Pineiro had no trouble in the first with the top of the Ranger order.
top 2 -- Aurilia 1-1 6-3; Olerud 2-1 track 8; Davis 2-0...2-2 look K
bot 2 -- Fullmer 1st-pitch U3; Dellucci 1-0 HR LF (5th Pineiro HR this yr, TIE 1-1); Mench 2-2...(fastball barely in) full 9; Nix (checkswing) 0-2 4-3
>> Rich Aurilia was nailed on a Web Gem nominee play by Michael Young on a diving stop. Ben Davis lost the favorable count in his at-bat. Pineiro had a decent 2nd inning except for that part where he gave up the tying homer to Dave Dellucci. That wasn't so good.
top 3 -- Winn 1-2 1B LF under SS glove; Ichiro 2-0 FC 3-6 (beats out DP); Spiezio 2-0 3B RF line (ICHIRO SCORES, SEA 2-1); Boone 3-1 6-3 shallow; Edgar 2-1 track 9
bot 3 -- Laird 1-1 6-3; Gonzalez 1-1 2B RCF; Young 1-1 1B lay bat on ball LF (Young 28 hits leads AL); Blalock 0-2 swing yakker dirt K (a big one, Davis gloves it); Soriano 1st-pitch 1B CF (TIE 2-2); Fullmer 1-0 IF 1B dribbler touched by Joel, Boone no play; Dellucci (yakker) 0-2 (WP backstop, TEX 3-2)...full change swing K
>> Ichiro beats out a double play then scores on a Scott Spiezio double down the rightfield line. With Spiezio on 3rd with one out, Boone grounds out to short, but Ron Fairly believed Spiezio thought the ball was going right back to the pitcher, so he didn't break for home. Then Edgar flies out to the track in right. Dave or Ron pulled up the stat that Randy Winn was a grand 2-for-23 on the last homestand. Ron Fairly continued his multi-inning rant about his perceived increase in the number of infielders in baseball that seem to use the barehand to make plays a little more than they should. Michael Young got a base hit where he just laid the barrel of the bat onto the ball and put it into leftfield. Adrian Gonzalez hit a ball that fell for a double. The thing is, it was sort of a gapper, but I have a problem with a double that doesn't get past a fielder and/or roll all the way to the wall. Bottom line is, Winn (two strides or so short of the ball on the fly) must have been playing back real far or was cheating to the wrong side or SOMETHING. Al Soriano roped an RBI single on his first pitch. Brad Fullmer hit a grounder that Pineiro touched but Boone had no play on. Pineiro threw an 0-2 curve to Dellucci that found the dirt as well as the five-hole of Ben Davis to give Texas the lead.
top 4 -- Ibanez 1-0 2B RF line; Aurilia 1-2 swing K (up/away); Olerud 4-pitch BB; Davis 1st-pitch 4-6-3
bot 4 -- Mench 3-0...3-1 HR CF (fastball over plate, TEX 4-2); Nix 2-0...2-2...(RAIN DELAY) swing K; Laird 0-2 breaking look K; Gonzalez 3-1 BB; Young 3-1 1B CF; Blalock 0-2 2B smash wall RF (TWO SCORE, TEX 6-2, Joel at 77, JARVIS WARMING); Soriano 0-1 bat shatter 1B CF (BLALOCK SCORES, TEX 7-2); Fullmer 1-0 fly 7
>> Raul Ibanez hit a leadoff double and didn't move. Kevin Mench blasted a 3-1 fastball into the grassy area over the CF wall. It was the 6th HR that Pineiro has surrendered this year. Laynce Nix was up with a 2-2 count before the first rain delay of the night came. Coming out of the delay, Pineiro struck out both Nix and Gerald Laird before unraveling. He walked Adrian Gonzalez with the bases empty, then Hank Blalock drove a pitch to deep rightfield that I thought was going to leave the yard. Still, two runs scored on the play to give Texas a 6-2 lead. Around this point, Bob Melvin appeared ready to throw in the towel, as Kevin Jarvis was warming in the bullpen. Dave Niehaus noted that a tornado watch was canceled for the area. Soriano dumped a bat-splitting single into centerfield to score Blalock to make it 7-2. Joel Pineiro had a pitch count of 80 through four.
top 5 -- Winn 1-2...2-2 HBP; Ichiro 0-1 Soriano dive no play; Spiezio 1-0 FC 3-6 (beats out DP); Boone 2-0...2-1 FC 6-4 (WINN SCORES, TEX 7-3); Edgar 2-2 6-3
bot 5 -- Dellucci 1-0 1B CF; Mench 1-2 5-4-3 DP; Nix 1-2...2-2 breaker K
>> Randy Winn was beaned to start it off. Spiezio and Boone beat out double plays, plating Winn. Bret Boone drove in his 10th run of the year. Dellucci hit a leadoff single but was erased on a Mench double play ball. Joel had a fairly easy inning thanks to the pitcher's best friend.
top 6 -- Ibanez 0-1 4-3; Aurilia 0-2 4-3; Olerud 1st-pitch 1B CF; Davis 1-2...full BB; Winn 2-0...3-0 (97 pitches)...3-1 BB; RAMIREZ IN; Ichiro 1-2 swing K
bot 6 -- Laird 2-2 (JARVIS IN PEN, pitch just misses)...full IF 1B deep hole SS; Gonzalez 2-0...full tweener LF 5 small collision Ibanez/Spiezio, Ibanez kneed; Young 1-1 DP 5-3
>> Ryan Drese hit the wall with two outs in the 6th and couldn't get through the inning. Olerud hit a single, Ben Davis battled back from 1-2 to walk, then Winn walked to load the sacks. But there were two out, and Ichiro knew this, so he whiffed on some off-speed junk from Erasmo Ramirez. Before he struck out, I made a Top Forum post about how I was glad Ichiro hit so many balls because he looks horrible when he swings and misses. It appears I cursed him. That's the dumbest I've seen Ichiro look since he faced Pedro a couple years ago. Bob Melvin was armed and ready once again to throw in the towel as Kevin Jarvis was warming up to start the bottom of the 6th. Gerald Laird hit one in the hole at short that Aurilia had no play on. Gonzalez hit a ball in between Ibanez, Spiezio, and Winn. Spiezio caught the ball, but then collided with Ibanez, kneeing him in the hip region. The later prognosis would be a bruised tailbone for Ibanez. Ron Fairly noted that Aurilia couldn't make the play because he was breaking toward second when the runner on first took off. Michael Young then hit into a double play.
top 7 -- Spiezio 1st-pitch 5-3 Young in CF almost; ALMANZAR IN; Boone 2-0 HR RF (TEX 7-4); Edgar 3-0...3-1 solid 7; Ibanez 1-1 1B CF; Aurilia (MAHAY WARMING) 1-1 2B LF (Dellucci dives/misses, TEX 7-5); MAHAY IN; Olerud 1-1 4-3
bot 7 -- JARVIS (TOWEL) IN (Joel gone after 106 pitches), MC CRACKEN IN for Ibanez; Blalock 2-0 1B CF; Soriano 0-1 2B LF (3rd hit); VILLONE IN; Fullmer 2-0 jammed high/tight 3; PH CHAD ALLEN (.518 in minors, righty) 1-0 lineout 3; Mench IBB; Nix 3-1...full looper LF (TWO SCORE, TEX 9-5); Laird 0-2 (wild pitch high above Davis' glove, TEX 10-5)...Davis nice stop on 1-2 pitch in dirt...2-2 swing K
>> The Mariners got deep into the Ranger bullpen in the 7th, as Boone hit a 393-foot blast off Carlos Almanzar to bring the Mariners within three. With one out, Edgar laced a ball right to the leftfielder. A small two-out rally then took place, as Ibanez singled to left, then Aurilia hit a fly ball (off new pitcher Ron Mahay) on which Dellucci had a long way to run to get. Dellucci dove and missed, allowing Ibanez to score from first and bring the Mariners to within two. Then it came: Bob Melvin Throws in the Towel is brought to you by Bed Bath & Beyond, the USS Mariner, and Sports and Bremertonians. Kevin Jarvis threw a total of five pitches. He faced two hitters. He went 2-0 on Hank Blalock, who singled to center. Jarvis' 1-0 pitch to Soriano ended up being laced for a double. Jarvis came in to start the inning, threw FIVE PITCHES, and left with two in scoring position and the same number of outs he had when he came in. Ron "Vanilli" Villone came in, got two outs to give Mariner fans false hope, then proceeded to let Jarvis pay for his debauchery. The righty Kevin Mench was put aboard with two outs to load the bases to face the lefty Laynce Nix. That backfired when Nix looped a single into left to score Jarvis' runners. Gerald Laird had his 0-2 pitch sail up and over Ben Davis' glove and to the backstop to give the Rangers a 10-5 lead.
top 8 -- Davis 1-2...2-2 track 9 RCF; (NELSON WARMING) Winn 2-0...2-1 8; Ichiro 2-0...3-1 BB; Spiezio 2-0...3-1 HR LF (SEA 10-7); NELSON IN; Boone 2-2...full BB; Edgar 1-1 (Boone steals 2nd)...2-1 2B (Boone scores, TEX 10-8); BLOOMQUIST PR; McCracken 2-2...full (RAINING LIKE HELL/lightning) BB; CORDERO IN; Aurilia 2-0...2-2 swing K
bot 8 -- Gonzalez 1st-pitch 4-3; Young 3-1...full IF 1B Spiezio misses barehand (30 hits...RAIN DELAY 1:02); MYERS IN; Blalock 2-2 fly 8; HASEGAWA IN; Soriano 0-1 FC 4-6
>> Mariner fans were prepared for yet another false hope comeback. Davis flew to the track in right, then Winn had a 2-0 count before flying to center. Another two-out flurry ensued, as Ichiro walked and Spiezio hit one over the scoreboard in left. Jeff Nelson came in and had an outing almost as bad as that of Jarvis, walking Boone, serving up Edgar's double, then walking a horrible hitter in Quinton McCracken. At this point, Dave Niehaus made a remark where he called a strong rainstorm a "frog strangler." Aurilia faced Francisco Cordero with two on and two out, had a 2-0 count, then struck out to end the threat. The Mariners were only down 10-8, but where would they have been if Melvin hadn't thrown in the towel? Wouldn't anyone other than Jarvis to start the 7th have been a better idea? All the good that Jarvis has done this year has been of dumb luck. The usual Kevin Jarvis is closer to this than the one that can throw an anomalous three shutout innings after the starting pitcher struggles. Michael Young hit a one-out single before the longer rain delay of the night came, lasting 62 minutes and managing to put my night on hold and bore me all at the same time. KXLE Radio in Ellensburg aired some news talk show and also twice threw in the obnoxious Emergency Alert System. Does anyone agree with me when I say the EAS sounds like a malfunctioning fax machine? Mike Myers was the first pitcher out on the mound after the delay, getting Hank Blalock out and fulfilling the LOOGY role for the night. I doubt Myers broke a sweat. Shigetoshi Hasegawa came in and got Soriano to bounce into a fielder's choice on the second pitch.
top 9 -- Olerud 3-1...full...BB; PH HANSEN 0-2...full lineout 9; Winn 1-2...2-2 U3; Ichiro 3-1 BB; Spiezio 2-2...full...swing K (10 pitch AB)
>> The top of the 9th mercifully came. Francisco Cordero had some turbulence, first by walking Olerud to bring the tying run to the plate. However, he helped his cause by getting Dave Hansen to fly out in the pinch, then getting Winn to bounce out to first. Ichiro then walked to bring the go-ahead run to the pick in Scott Spiezio, who had a cliffhanging, though-it-out 10-pitch at bat, but he whiffed on the tenth pitch to end it.
Looooong game. Dave Niehaus pointed out at some point during the game that the Mariners haven't had a game this year where they've scored first then held the lead to the end of game for the win. My friends and readers, that is not good (I haven't gone through the fact-checking, but I don't doubt it's true).
Gameball: Scott Spiezio. Not just for the obvious reasons. He was 3-for-6, drove in three, and had a bomb. But that last 10-pitch at-bat put him over the top for the gameball on a night where no one else really deserved it. Ichiro's whiff action with the bases loaded and two out cost him my gameball, not just because he struck out with the bases loaded, but because it's Ichiro. Expectations, expectations...
Goat: Kevin Jarvis. I don't care if Ron Villone was the one to score all his runs; Jarvis put them on in the first place. Jarvis had by far the largest crap-per-time ratio of anyone on the team tonight. I'll repeat the stats one last time: 5 pitches, two batters, a single, a double, two runners in scoring position, no outs.
At 7-5 heading into the bottom of the 7th after the Mariners got a couple runs and with Joel Pineiro having thrown 107 pitches (and having had a terrible line of 7 runs and 11 hits), Bob Melvin made the stupid decision to bring in Kevin Jarvis to face Hank Blalock (lefty) and Alfonso Soriano keep the game close. For one thing, like I said, the normal Kevin Jarvis is closer to the one that was in the game tonight rather than the one that is bound to do good every once in a while because he's really not that good.
The offense scored eight runs and pounded out 12 hits. There's still a few things to complain about (stranded 17 runners), but when the Mariners are lucky enough to get 8 runs, they've got to win. Did Joel Pineiro have a crappy outing? Sure. Did they still have a chance to win after they scored two runs in their half of the 7th to make it 7-5? Hell yes. Why did Melvin bring in Kevin Jarvis to face the ever-potent 2nd and 3rd hitters in the Ranger lineup? I'm not sure, other than to say Melvin may have somehow convinced himself that Kevin Jarvis is good. That or the puppetmasters from above are prodding Melvin to use Jarvis.
Garcia. Benoit. Tonight.
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