Saturday, May 08, 2004
LIVE IN THE NOW, GAR!
This first game of the Yankee series may have been the Mariners' best-played game of the year. Okay, maybe the Yankees had something to do with it. Still, the Mariners did what they haven't been able to do all season: get the lead early, hold on to the lead, and add on to it. For fans, it was probably the best game of the year. Offensively, this was Edgar's game, and thankfully the hitters ahead of him were actually able to get on base. On the mound, Ryan Franklin pitched well enough to win. Nothing more, nothing less. He only went 6+ innings, and he got into some formidable jams on the 4th, 5th, and 7th, all of which he was able to get out of tonight (Hasegawa got out of the 7th) without having things go massively wrong, which the month of April made us grow accustomed to.
top 1 -- Lofton 0-1 6-3; Jeter 1-1 8; Rodriguez 0-2...2-2 9
bot 1 -- Ichiro 1st-pitch 4-3; Winn 0-2 1B LF; Spiezio 3-0...3-1 1B RF; Ibanez 0-2...1-2 F2; Edgar 0-1 2B RF (SEA 2-0); Olerud 1-2...full 8 -- Attaway, Edgar
>> Franklin went 1-2-3, and Edgar drove in Randy Winn and Scott Spiezio on his 500th career double. Spiezio and Winn were in on a perfectly executed hit-and-run.
top 2 -- Giambi 2-2...full swing K; Sheffield 1-2...full swing off-speed K; Posada 0-2 swing high K
bot 2 -- Aurilia 0-1 U3; Cabrera 0-2 1B CF; Wilson 1-1 6-3 (runner sent); Ichiro 2-0 1B CF under Wilson glove (SEA 3-0); Winn 0-1 4-3
>> How often is Ryan Franklin going to strike out the side against the Yankees? Are the Mariners going to keep scoring in the second inning? Tonight was only the second time this entire season in which the Mariners scored in the second inning.
top 3 -- Matsui 2-2...full...BB; Sierra 2-0...2-2 1B track RCF (runners cross on track ball, Ichiro catches/drops at wall, Sierra out); Wilson 0-2 8; Lofton 1st-pitch 8
bot 3 -- Spiezio 1st-pitch 9; Ibanez 0-2...full high 1B RF; Edgar 0-1 HR LF (HR 299, SEA 5-0); Olerud 0-2...2-2 4-3; Aurilia 0-2 running in 7
>> If Ruben Sierra is five years younger, that ball goes over the fence. I thought it was gone off the bat, but it was warning track power. Either way, Winn and Ichiro got crossed up by the warning track, and apparently Ichiro had the ball and dropped it. This jam could have been a ton worse, but then Sierra passed Hideki Matsui on the basepath. Not good. Raul Ibanez got down 0-2, worked a full count, and then swung at ball four for a single. Edgar then belted home run number 299 to give the Mariners the 5-0 lead.
top 4 -- Jeter 0-2...1-2 U3; Rodriguez 1-2...2-2 1B CF; Giambi 2-0 shallow 8; Sheffield 4-pitch BB; Posada 1-1 8
bot 4 -- Cabrera 2-1 bunt 1B (3rd side); Wilson 0-2...2-2 swing K; Ichiro 1st-pitch FC 3-6; Winn 1-2 swing K
>> I thought Franklin was starting to lose it. He fell behind on Giambi, then walked Sheffield on four pitches. Putting runners on base with this lineup is never a good thing. Again, Franklin got away with it. Jolbert Cabrera bunting for a base hit? Man, I hope everyone out there cherished this one.
top 5 -- Matsui 1st-pitch 1B CF; Sierra 2-0...3-1 track jump 9; Wilson 3-1 BB; Lofton 1st-pitch 1B CF (SEA 5-1, weird play at home); Jeter 0-2...2-2 look K; Rodriguez 1-2...2-2 swing K -- weird play at home, but Franklin mows Jeter and Alex
bot 5 -- Spiezio 0-1 3-1; Ibanez 0-1 7; Edgar 0-2...1-2 9
>> Once again, Matsui gets on for Sierra, and once again, if Sierra's five years younger, the game is 5-4. On the play at home, it looked like Wilson's glove was slid into by Matsui's leg before Matsui got the plate. However, I'm glad this play went the Yankees' way. Why? For the degree to which we've ragged on Randy Winn's arm here at Sports and B's, I know that I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if Matsui was called out on that play. There is no way Randy Winn should be gunning down ANYONE at home. Jon Lieber finally settled down and had a 1-2-3 inning.
top 6 -- Giambi 0-2...full F5; Sheffield 1-1 5-3; Posada 1st-pitch 6-3
bot 6 -- Olerud 1st-pitch 2B LF; Aurilia 0-1 4-3 (runner moves); Cabrera 0-2 (WP, SEA 6-1)...2-2 6-3; Wilson 1-0 5-3
>> Ryan Franklin had a 1-2-3 inning. I need to see the Lieber wild pitch again, because JOHN OLERUD SCORED ON A WILD PITCH. It must have been quite wild.
top 7 -- Matsui 2-0...(HASEGAWA WARMING) 3-1 BB; Sierra 1-0 1B RF; HASEGAWA IN; Wilson 2-0...2-2 swing K; Lofton 2-0 FC U4 (Lofton beats it out); Jeter 3-1 1B LF (SEA 6-2); Rodriguez 1-2...full F2
bot 7 -- WHITE IN; Ichiro 3-1...full 1B CF; Winn 1-2...6; Spiezio 0-1 checkswing FC 5-4; Ibanez 0-2...2-2...1B CF; PRINZ IN; Edgar 1-1 track 7
>> Franklin was yanked after letting the first two hitters reach base. Shigetoshi Hasegawa managed to evade his early-season meltdown tendencies, and let only one of Franklin's runners score. Hasegawa was able to mow through Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez to end the inning. Edgar came very close to hitting career home run number 300.
top 8 -- SORIANO IN; Giambi 1-2...6; Sheffield 1-1 1B LCF; Posada 1-2 FC 5-4 (no DP); MYERS IN; Matsui 2-0...2-2 6-3
bot 8 -- Olerud 3-1 U3; Aurilia 1-0 F3; Cabrera 2B LF; Wilson 0-1 track 8
>> Rafael Soriano was brought in, and he got two outs, but allowed one baserunner. Until Mike Myers is cut loose by this team, any in-game move involving him will make me feel extremely uncomfortable because I feel like he can blow up any second. If I've got a choice between an 80% or so Rafael Soriano or Mike Myers to face Hideki Matsui, I'm going with Soriano every time.
top 9 -- GUARDADO IN; Sierra 1-2 swing K; CLARK PH 0-1 F9; WILLIAMS PH 6
>> The Yankees were about ready to empty the end of their bench, but Eddie Guardado was more than up to the task.
Gameball: Jolbert Cabrera. 3-for-4 with a double and a bunt single.
Goat: Dan Wilson. 0-for-4 with a strikeout, stranding two. Rich Aurilia was hitless too, but stranded only one runner, didn't strike out, and has already been hit with the goat by me enough lately.
Jolbert Cabrera went 3-for-4 AND bunted for a base hit. This happened in the same game where John Olerud scored on a wild pitch. This happened in the same game in which the Mariners actually scored in the second inning. This happened in the same game where the Mariners actually scored early and held on to win.
If you recall, the Mariners did do pretty well against the Yankees. Jeremy was quick to remind me after the game was over that sure, the Mariners can raise their game against the Yankees...but you do remember all those games last year against the Tampa Bays, Torontos, and Clevelands of the world, right? The Mariners can steal a few games here and there from the good teams, but they have to make their bread and butter against the patsies of the AL.
Mussina. Meche. Fifteen hours. I know Meche has done well against the Yankees, but the Mariners are Mike Mussina's bitch. The Mariners have collectively been Mike Mussina's bitch for longer than they've been Tim Hudson's bitch, and longer than they've been Pedro's bitch.
Every time Mike Mussina faces the Mariners, I think of the bench- and bullpen-clearing scuffle that ensued after Mussina nailed Bill Haselman.
Three cheers for Edgar.
top 1 -- Lofton 0-1 6-3; Jeter 1-1 8; Rodriguez 0-2...2-2 9
bot 1 -- Ichiro 1st-pitch 4-3; Winn 0-2 1B LF; Spiezio 3-0...3-1 1B RF; Ibanez 0-2...1-2 F2; Edgar 0-1 2B RF (SEA 2-0); Olerud 1-2...full 8 -- Attaway, Edgar
>> Franklin went 1-2-3, and Edgar drove in Randy Winn and Scott Spiezio on his 500th career double. Spiezio and Winn were in on a perfectly executed hit-and-run.
top 2 -- Giambi 2-2...full swing K; Sheffield 1-2...full swing off-speed K; Posada 0-2 swing high K
bot 2 -- Aurilia 0-1 U3; Cabrera 0-2 1B CF; Wilson 1-1 6-3 (runner sent); Ichiro 2-0 1B CF under Wilson glove (SEA 3-0); Winn 0-1 4-3
>> How often is Ryan Franklin going to strike out the side against the Yankees? Are the Mariners going to keep scoring in the second inning? Tonight was only the second time this entire season in which the Mariners scored in the second inning.
top 3 -- Matsui 2-2...full...BB; Sierra 2-0...2-2 1B track RCF (runners cross on track ball, Ichiro catches/drops at wall, Sierra out); Wilson 0-2 8; Lofton 1st-pitch 8
bot 3 -- Spiezio 1st-pitch 9; Ibanez 0-2...full high 1B RF; Edgar 0-1 HR LF (HR 299, SEA 5-0); Olerud 0-2...2-2 4-3; Aurilia 0-2 running in 7
>> If Ruben Sierra is five years younger, that ball goes over the fence. I thought it was gone off the bat, but it was warning track power. Either way, Winn and Ichiro got crossed up by the warning track, and apparently Ichiro had the ball and dropped it. This jam could have been a ton worse, but then Sierra passed Hideki Matsui on the basepath. Not good. Raul Ibanez got down 0-2, worked a full count, and then swung at ball four for a single. Edgar then belted home run number 299 to give the Mariners the 5-0 lead.
top 4 -- Jeter 0-2...1-2 U3; Rodriguez 1-2...2-2 1B CF; Giambi 2-0 shallow 8; Sheffield 4-pitch BB; Posada 1-1 8
bot 4 -- Cabrera 2-1 bunt 1B (3rd side); Wilson 0-2...2-2 swing K; Ichiro 1st-pitch FC 3-6; Winn 1-2 swing K
>> I thought Franklin was starting to lose it. He fell behind on Giambi, then walked Sheffield on four pitches. Putting runners on base with this lineup is never a good thing. Again, Franklin got away with it. Jolbert Cabrera bunting for a base hit? Man, I hope everyone out there cherished this one.
top 5 -- Matsui 1st-pitch 1B CF; Sierra 2-0...3-1 track jump 9; Wilson 3-1 BB; Lofton 1st-pitch 1B CF (SEA 5-1, weird play at home); Jeter 0-2...2-2 look K; Rodriguez 1-2...2-2 swing K -- weird play at home, but Franklin mows Jeter and Alex
bot 5 -- Spiezio 0-1 3-1; Ibanez 0-1 7; Edgar 0-2...1-2 9
>> Once again, Matsui gets on for Sierra, and once again, if Sierra's five years younger, the game is 5-4. On the play at home, it looked like Wilson's glove was slid into by Matsui's leg before Matsui got the plate. However, I'm glad this play went the Yankees' way. Why? For the degree to which we've ragged on Randy Winn's arm here at Sports and B's, I know that I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if Matsui was called out on that play. There is no way Randy Winn should be gunning down ANYONE at home. Jon Lieber finally settled down and had a 1-2-3 inning.
top 6 -- Giambi 0-2...full F5; Sheffield 1-1 5-3; Posada 1st-pitch 6-3
bot 6 -- Olerud 1st-pitch 2B LF; Aurilia 0-1 4-3 (runner moves); Cabrera 0-2 (WP, SEA 6-1)...2-2 6-3; Wilson 1-0 5-3
>> Ryan Franklin had a 1-2-3 inning. I need to see the Lieber wild pitch again, because JOHN OLERUD SCORED ON A WILD PITCH. It must have been quite wild.
top 7 -- Matsui 2-0...(HASEGAWA WARMING) 3-1 BB; Sierra 1-0 1B RF; HASEGAWA IN; Wilson 2-0...2-2 swing K; Lofton 2-0 FC U4 (Lofton beats it out); Jeter 3-1 1B LF (SEA 6-2); Rodriguez 1-2...full F2
bot 7 -- WHITE IN; Ichiro 3-1...full 1B CF; Winn 1-2...6; Spiezio 0-1 checkswing FC 5-4; Ibanez 0-2...2-2...1B CF; PRINZ IN; Edgar 1-1 track 7
>> Franklin was yanked after letting the first two hitters reach base. Shigetoshi Hasegawa managed to evade his early-season meltdown tendencies, and let only one of Franklin's runners score. Hasegawa was able to mow through Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez to end the inning. Edgar came very close to hitting career home run number 300.
top 8 -- SORIANO IN; Giambi 1-2...6; Sheffield 1-1 1B LCF; Posada 1-2 FC 5-4 (no DP); MYERS IN; Matsui 2-0...2-2 6-3
bot 8 -- Olerud 3-1 U3; Aurilia 1-0 F3; Cabrera 2B LF; Wilson 0-1 track 8
>> Rafael Soriano was brought in, and he got two outs, but allowed one baserunner. Until Mike Myers is cut loose by this team, any in-game move involving him will make me feel extremely uncomfortable because I feel like he can blow up any second. If I've got a choice between an 80% or so Rafael Soriano or Mike Myers to face Hideki Matsui, I'm going with Soriano every time.
top 9 -- GUARDADO IN; Sierra 1-2 swing K; CLARK PH 0-1 F9; WILLIAMS PH 6
>> The Yankees were about ready to empty the end of their bench, but Eddie Guardado was more than up to the task.
Gameball: Jolbert Cabrera. 3-for-4 with a double and a bunt single.
Goat: Dan Wilson. 0-for-4 with a strikeout, stranding two. Rich Aurilia was hitless too, but stranded only one runner, didn't strike out, and has already been hit with the goat by me enough lately.
Jolbert Cabrera went 3-for-4 AND bunted for a base hit. This happened in the same game where John Olerud scored on a wild pitch. This happened in the same game in which the Mariners actually scored in the second inning. This happened in the same game where the Mariners actually scored early and held on to win.
If you recall, the Mariners did do pretty well against the Yankees. Jeremy was quick to remind me after the game was over that sure, the Mariners can raise their game against the Yankees...but you do remember all those games last year against the Tampa Bays, Torontos, and Clevelands of the world, right? The Mariners can steal a few games here and there from the good teams, but they have to make their bread and butter against the patsies of the AL.
Mussina. Meche. Fifteen hours. I know Meche has done well against the Yankees, but the Mariners are Mike Mussina's bitch. The Mariners have collectively been Mike Mussina's bitch for longer than they've been Tim Hudson's bitch, and longer than they've been Pedro's bitch.
Every time Mike Mussina faces the Mariners, I think of the bench- and bullpen-clearing scuffle that ensued after Mussina nailed Bill Haselman.
Three cheers for Edgar.
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