Thursday, August 04, 2005
GAME 106: TIGERS 10, MARINERS 7
Tigers 10, Mariners 7
In 25 words or less: Big innings. Twice. Yes, the predictable starting pitcher was involved in yielding said big innings, therefore negating the Mariners' offensive prowess.
This one featured Gil Meche going up against Mike Maroth. Could the Mariners pull off a series win? Did anyone even care about this game because they knew what they might get today from Meche and would rather see Felix throw the next day? Yes, Wednesday night in the Northwest was most likely a day to go out with some friends or do laundry or something. Thursday night is the night to plop yourself down in front of the TV and watch something you'll only see once. Hopefully you've all created shrines in your households with rings of lit candles and stuff so we can all keep Felix's good health intact. By the way, don't do that if you're in a dorm at college where they don't allow open flame. Having college dorms burn down not only sucks and isn't cool, everyone that lived near you will more than likely hate your guts for the rest of your life. That's not good. In that case, just print off a bunch of Felix pictures and arrange them in a circle above your desk or something and throw a Yin-Yang insignia over it or something. Anything for good luck with this guy.
TOP 1ST
Grade: C-
Nothing crossing the plate to start. Ichiro got behind 0-2 before slicing a 1-2 flyout into leftfield. Willie Bloomquist worked a 1-2 count full before whiffing on a pitch over the outside corner. Raul Ibañez waved at an 0-2 offspeed pitch over the outer half.
BOTTOM 1ST
Grade: D
Meche had that dreaded inning, though he got some negative help. Placido Polanco fouled off a 3-1 pitch before smacking a single into leftfield. Carlos Guillen took a 3-0 strike, but bopped the next pitch off the track and off the wall near the leftfield corner for a double, moving Polanco to third. Chris Shelton sent the first pitch into the gap and bouncing off the scoreboard in rightcenter for a double, scoring Polanco and Guillen.
»» TIGERS 2, MARINERS 0
Magglio Ordoñez bounced the second pitch past Meche and into centerfield for a single, scoring Shelton.
»» TIGERS 3, MARINERS 0
Rondell White grounded the first pitch into the hole at short, where Yuniesky Betancourt ranged to his right to get the ball and threw back to Willie Bloomquist at second, who eventually lost the handle on the catch (fielder's choice, E6), leaving everyone safe. Ivan Rodriguez whiffed on an 0-2 fastball up and in. Dmitri Young got behind 0-2 and ended up popping a 1-2 high to shallow leftfield, where a ball that should have been caught instead landed between Raul Ibañez and Yuniesky Betancourt, with the former calling off Betancourt too late. Ibañez is rusty in leftfield, kids. No doubt about that. The bases were loaded. Craig Monroe flew out to centerfield on an 0-2 pitch, sufficiently deep to score Ordoñez.
»» TIGERS 4, MARINERS 0
Omar Infante popped out high to centerfield.
TOP 2ND
Grade: C-
Nothing once again. Richie Sexson lined out hard to third. Adrian Beltre rolled over an outside pitch, grounding out to short. Mike Morse grounded to Polanco behind the bag at third, and he was out on the very long throw.
BOTTOM 2ND
Grade: B
Not too much trouble for Meche, though it couldn't get much worse than the first. Polanco got the hitters' counts before flying out to center on the 3-1 pitch. Guillen flew out high to leftfield on the second pitch. Shelton took a four-pitch walk. Ordoñez flew out high to Sexson in foul ground on the right side.
TOP 3RD
Grade: C+
A runner even got to scoring position, and via a hit, no less. Jeremy Reed popped the first pitch to Young in leftcenter. Yuniesky Betancourt gapped the second pitch on one hop over the wall in leftcenter for a double and the Mariners' first hit of the game. Wiki Gonzalez took an 0-2 pitch right over the inner half. Ichiro grounded the second pitch to Shelton at first, who underhanded to the covering Maroth.
BOTTOM 3RD
Grade: B-
Meche weathered the leadoff runner. White reached with one arm on a low and outside pitch and duplicated Betancourt's feat in the preceding half-inning, bouncing a ball off the warning track and over the fence in the gap in leftcenter for a double. Rodriguez worked an 0-2 count full before whiffing on a curveball over the outer half. Young grounded to first, where Sexson underhanded to a covering Meche, moving White to third. Monroe got the hitters' counts and popped the 3-1 pitch to Ichiro in rightcenter.
TOP 4TH
Grade: A
Instant offense. Bloomquist singled into leftfield on the second pitch. Ibañez got behind 0-2, and Bloomquist stole second on the 1-2 pitch. Ibañez ended up fouling off a couple of full-count pitches before slapping a ball toward third, where Polanco held Bloomquist at second and threw over to first. Sexson took a 2-2 pitch barely off the inside corner, fouled off a pitch, then took the next pitch inside for a walk. Beltre blasted the first pitch about ten rows back into the seats inside the leftfield foul pole.
»» TIGERS 4, MARINERS 3
Morse rolled over on an 0-2 pitch, and Guillen plugged up the hole and threw on the run to first, where Shelton picked it out. Reed flew out to centerfield.
BOTTOM 4TH
Grade: B
Sort of a weird, but harmless inning. Infante popped foul to Sexson near the tarp on the right side. Polanco got ahead 3-0 and took a 3-1 pitch low and away for a walk. Guillen threw his bat and whiffed on a 1-1 hit-and-run pitch high and outside, and Gonzalez nailed Polanco at second. Guillen grounded out to second.
TOP 5TH
Grade: C-
Too easy for Maroth. Betancourt got ahead 3-0 and grounded out hard to third on a full count. Gonzalez grounded out to Guillen in the hole on the left side. Ichiro grounded hard to first, and Shelton stepped on the bag.
BOTTOM 5TH
Grade: F
Because one big inning is never enough. Shelton took a 2-2 curveball over the outside corner. Ordoñez singled up the middle and into centerfield. White got ahead 2-0 and later flew out high to Sexson on a full count. Rodriguez roped the first pitch into the gap in leftcenter for a double, scoring Ordoñez from first without a throw (Betancourt held the relay).
»» TIGERS 5, MARINERS 3
Young mashed a single to the right side to score Rodriguez.
»» TIGERS 6, MARINERS 3
Monroe got ahead 2-0 and later took a full-count pitch outside for a walk.
Clint Nageotte made his 2005 debut, coming in for Meche. Infante was beaned on the left elbow on a 1-2 pitch, loading the bases. Polanco bounced a ball past a diving Beltre for a single, scoring two.
»» TIGERS 8, MARINERS 3
Guillen singled hard up the middle, scoring Infante and moving Polanco to second.
»» TIGERS 9, MARINERS 3
Shelton grounded the second pitch up the middle to Betancourt.
Meche's line: 4 2/3 innings, 8 runs (7 earned), 9 hits, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts, 104 pitches (59 strikes)
TOP 6TH
Grade: B
There was some runs, at least. Bloomquist singled past the shortstop and into centerfield for a single. Ibañez singled up the middle, moving Bloomquist to third. Sexson flew out high to the leftfield corner, Bloomquist scored, and Ibañez moved to second.
»» TIGERS 9, MARINERS 4
Beltre popped high to Ordoñez in shallow rightfield. Morse grounded the first pitch through the left side for a single, scoring Ibañez.
»» TIGERS 9, MARINERS 5
Morse was picked off of first with the count 1-1 to Reed.
BOTTOM 6TH
Grade: A
A quick one for Nageotte. Ordoñez grounded out to Beltre behind the bag at third. White popped foul to Sexson on the right side. Rodriguez broke his bat on a first-pitch flyout to leftfield.
Nageotte's line: 1 1/3 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 22 pitches (14 strikes)
TOP 7TH
Grade: C-
Reed splintered his bat on a single into rightfield.
Franklyn German came in for Maroth. Betancourt flew out to Infante on the infield on the first pitch. Gonzalez flew out high on the second pitch to Shelton along the first-base line. Ichiro foul-tipped an 0-2 pitch into the catcher's glove for strike three.
Maroth's line: 6 inning, 5 runs, 7 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, 97 pitches (64 strikes)
BOTTOM 7TH
Grade: B
Masao Kida came in for Nageotte. Young poked a single into rightcenter, and Nook Logan ran for him. Monroe grounded the first pitch to Beltre, who threw hard and wide to second, so only the 5-4 fielder's choice was attained. Infante popped high to Bloomquist in shallow rightfield. Polanco flew out high to centerfield on the first pitch.
TOP 8TH
Grade: B-
This was the last gasp. Bloomquist fisted the second pitch into leftfield for a single. Ibañez got behind 0-2 and looped the 2-2 pitch over Infante at second and into rightfield for a single, moving Bloomquist to third. Sexson got ahead 3-1, whiffed at a pitch, then took the next pitch inside for a walk, loading the bases.
Chris Spurling came in for German. Beltre dropped an 0-2 pitch into rightfield for a single, scoring Bloomquist and keeping the bases loaded.
»» TIGERS 9, MARINERS 6
Morse grounded to short, where Guillen went for a 6-4 fielder's choice. Ibañez scored.
»» TIGERS 9, MARINERS 7
Fernando Rodney came in for Spurling. Reed got behind 0-2, and Jamal Strong ran for Morse. Reed whiffed on a 1-2 pitch outside. Betancourt popped the second pitch high to rightfield.
German's line: 1 inning, 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeouts, 20 pitches (14 strikes)
Spurling's line: 1/3 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 7 pitches (6 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Grade: B-
There was more to try to surmount. Guillen got behind 0-2 and eventually flew out to Ichiro in rightfield. Shelton got ahead 2-0 and roped the 2-2 pitch off the top of the wall in rightfield, which was called a homer shortly thereafter.
»» TIGERS 10, MARINERS 7
Ordoñez got behind 0-2 and grounded out to third. White chopped out to third on the first pitch.
Kida's line: 2 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 23 pitches (18 strikes)
TOP 9TH
Grade: C
Dave Hansen hit for Gonzalez. Hansen took a three-pitch walk but was awarded first after Rodney went to his mouth. Yorvit Torrealba ran for Hansen. Ichiro grounded the second pitch hard to Infante at second, who couldn't come up with it in time for a double play, but was able to throw out Ichiro (Torrealba safe at second). Bloomquist popped to Logan in centerfield, who held on to the ball for a little too long, allowing Torrealba to scoot to third (Rod Allen on FSN Detroit: "GET IT IN!!"). Ibañez got ahead 3-0, then took the next pitch low and inside for a walk. Sexson popped a 1-2 pitch to Infante in shallow rightfield. Ballgame.
Rodney's line: 1 2/3 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, 23 pitches (12 strikes)
---
Gameball: Adrian Beltre.
One could argue this is an obvious gameball, but there were two other Mariner hitters with two or more hits in the game, so there's my excuse. Beltre had one of his better games at the plate as a Mariner, and in a blatant hitters' park, no less. That homer to leftfield is a homer even without the fences being moved in. The great thing about the homer was that it came with two runners on base. I've grown a bit tired of seeing solo shots from Sexson and Ibañez, and the occasional Beltre. Yay for the table being set when Beltre was at the plate. As for defense, he made a couple of strong and long throws from around third, with his only semi-mishap coming on what should have been a double play, when he threw a bit wide of Bloomquist at second. But the big thing is the 2-for-4 with four RBIs. That's a good night for Beltre.
Goat: Gil Meche.
The Detroit TV crew brought up the fact that Gil Meche had a stretch this season where he won six of eight decisions. For me, that's a distant memory. I don't even remember it, seriously. It might be selective memory. Apparently Meche has been 8-4 and 10-6 at certain points this year, but all I remember is a guy prone to the big inning who misses up every once in a while and gets beat around like a pinball machine. Of course, maybe he was due for a game like this one since he hadn't been truly battered in nearly a month (7 runs, 5 earned at Kansas City on July 5th). Still, I'm just disappointed they couldn't unload Meche on any team with a pitching coach who thinks they can turn him around. Could Leo Mazzone turn Meche into a year-in, year-out 16- or 17-game winner? It wouldn't surprise me. Then he'd get a big free-agent contract somewhere else and then stink it up. I remember at one point, I think it might have been spring training or early in the season, when I heard that instead of working corners, they were going to make Meche work the upper and lower parts of the strike zone instead, which I thought sounded like the worst idea, even given the pop on his fastball. Anyway, that's the only semi-fresh material I could come up with for this entry. Meche has exhausted me mentally. Meche has made Jeremy start the Gil Meche Death March. We all know how the Bret Boone Death March ended.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2001 76-30 .717 -- L1
2002 64-42 .604 12 W1
2003 64-42 .604 12 W1
2000 62-44 .585 14 W1
2005 46-60 .434 30 L1
2004 39-67 .368 37 L5
On the FSN Detroit broadcast (MLB.tv), they spit out some stat along the lines of the Mariners being 8-26 (adjusted after the loss) when falling behind in the first inning. I forgot if it was falling behind in the first inning or just being scored against in the first inning, but either way, that stat sucks. In other words, if the Mariners have that happen in the first inning, they'll have less than a one-in-four shot that they'll come back and pull out the win, which seems a little too hopeless to me. Sad stuff, I know. Okay, that's a stretch, it's just that they've been crappy when getting behind early.
The Mariners managed to crank out seven runs in a hitters' park and still lose. Multi-hit games for the Mariner hitters included Beltre (gameball), Willie Bloomquist (3-for-5), and Raul Ibañez (2-for-4 with a walk). Ibañez might have gotten the gameball for me if it weren't for that 'tweener fly ball that he let drop. He's been rusty in leftfield since he's been DHing all year, so naturally I think we're all anticipating the return and hopefully long-term and productive stay of one Chris Snelling. Yes, there will be an Australian, an American (or Statesider, to Canadians who may object to such use of the word American), and a Japanese guy in the outfield for the Mariners. This of course means the Mariners' promo department can pull off some thing with the Woodland Park Zoo and bring a roving exhibit to the ballpark. Here's Chris Snelling with a dingo! Jeremy Reed with a bald eagle! Ichiro with a Japanese crane! I would have thrown Ichiro in with a cherry blossom, but that's kind of not an animal.
On the other hand, things aren't coming up roses or cherry blossoms for Ichiro in the first two games of this series, which have left him 0-for-8 in the month of August with a walk and a strikeout. They won the first game without his production, but weren't so lucky in the second game. When Bloomquist goes 3-for-5 and doesn't manage to drive in any runs, that's not wholly because Ichiro wasn't on base, since the bottom of the lineup comes before that, but Ichiro still didn't get on base. Sexson (1), Beltre (4), and Mike Morse (2) drove in all of the Mariners' runs in this game. Ichiro didn't get on base, and the next guy to drive in a run was the #4 hitter in the lineup. Basically what I'm getting at is that I don't think Bloomquist and Ibañez should be able to combine for five hits and not drive in any runs. Granted, it's an anomaly and Ichiro will get his hits and everything, but this game is this game, and that's what happened.
Can the Mariners pull out the series win? Can Felix help them do that? Much anticipation is had. Stay healthy, Felix. I'm not talking Potvin here either. I think it's much cooler to have a Felix whose nickname has his first name preceded by "King" rather than followed up by "the Cat." Of course, you could go with "El Cartelua," which does look cool when you're reading, but not so much when you're pronouncing it. Too many syllables, and I think after three years of high school Spanish that it's grammatically incorrect. It'd have to be "La Cartelua," matching the feminine article with the feminine noun "Cartelua," but I may be, and probably am wrong. Of course, when Felix makes his first start at the Safe, someone should bring a sign that says "Muthaf#*$!%@ Felix!" though I'm sure even in masked form that wouldn't fly. Remember, I'm a guy who thinks that any ad campaign on television is made 10 times better if you tack on "...bitch!" to the slogan. "Hey bro, what's for dinner?" "Pizza Hut, bitch!" "Awesome!" It's kind of like that completely immature game from high school when you read through the signatures in your yearbook and just tack on "in bed" to all of the stuff that people wrote in your yearbook, not that anybody wrote in mine or anything. That shouldn't surprise any of you.
Hernandez. Douglass. Today.
In 25 words or less: Big innings. Twice. Yes, the predictable starting pitcher was involved in yielding said big innings, therefore negating the Mariners' offensive prowess.
This one featured Gil Meche going up against Mike Maroth. Could the Mariners pull off a series win? Did anyone even care about this game because they knew what they might get today from Meche and would rather see Felix throw the next day? Yes, Wednesday night in the Northwest was most likely a day to go out with some friends or do laundry or something. Thursday night is the night to plop yourself down in front of the TV and watch something you'll only see once. Hopefully you've all created shrines in your households with rings of lit candles and stuff so we can all keep Felix's good health intact. By the way, don't do that if you're in a dorm at college where they don't allow open flame. Having college dorms burn down not only sucks and isn't cool, everyone that lived near you will more than likely hate your guts for the rest of your life. That's not good. In that case, just print off a bunch of Felix pictures and arrange them in a circle above your desk or something and throw a Yin-Yang insignia over it or something. Anything for good luck with this guy.
TOP 1ST
Grade: C-
Nothing crossing the plate to start. Ichiro got behind 0-2 before slicing a 1-2 flyout into leftfield. Willie Bloomquist worked a 1-2 count full before whiffing on a pitch over the outside corner. Raul Ibañez waved at an 0-2 offspeed pitch over the outer half.
BOTTOM 1ST
Grade: D
Meche had that dreaded inning, though he got some negative help. Placido Polanco fouled off a 3-1 pitch before smacking a single into leftfield. Carlos Guillen took a 3-0 strike, but bopped the next pitch off the track and off the wall near the leftfield corner for a double, moving Polanco to third. Chris Shelton sent the first pitch into the gap and bouncing off the scoreboard in rightcenter for a double, scoring Polanco and Guillen.
»» TIGERS 2, MARINERS 0
Magglio Ordoñez bounced the second pitch past Meche and into centerfield for a single, scoring Shelton.
»» TIGERS 3, MARINERS 0
Rondell White grounded the first pitch into the hole at short, where Yuniesky Betancourt ranged to his right to get the ball and threw back to Willie Bloomquist at second, who eventually lost the handle on the catch (fielder's choice, E6), leaving everyone safe. Ivan Rodriguez whiffed on an 0-2 fastball up and in. Dmitri Young got behind 0-2 and ended up popping a 1-2 high to shallow leftfield, where a ball that should have been caught instead landed between Raul Ibañez and Yuniesky Betancourt, with the former calling off Betancourt too late. Ibañez is rusty in leftfield, kids. No doubt about that. The bases were loaded. Craig Monroe flew out to centerfield on an 0-2 pitch, sufficiently deep to score Ordoñez.
»» TIGERS 4, MARINERS 0
Omar Infante popped out high to centerfield.
TOP 2ND
Grade: C-
Nothing once again. Richie Sexson lined out hard to third. Adrian Beltre rolled over an outside pitch, grounding out to short. Mike Morse grounded to Polanco behind the bag at third, and he was out on the very long throw.
BOTTOM 2ND
Grade: B
Not too much trouble for Meche, though it couldn't get much worse than the first. Polanco got the hitters' counts before flying out to center on the 3-1 pitch. Guillen flew out high to leftfield on the second pitch. Shelton took a four-pitch walk. Ordoñez flew out high to Sexson in foul ground on the right side.
TOP 3RD
Grade: C+
A runner even got to scoring position, and via a hit, no less. Jeremy Reed popped the first pitch to Young in leftcenter. Yuniesky Betancourt gapped the second pitch on one hop over the wall in leftcenter for a double and the Mariners' first hit of the game. Wiki Gonzalez took an 0-2 pitch right over the inner half. Ichiro grounded the second pitch to Shelton at first, who underhanded to the covering Maroth.
BOTTOM 3RD
Grade: B-
Meche weathered the leadoff runner. White reached with one arm on a low and outside pitch and duplicated Betancourt's feat in the preceding half-inning, bouncing a ball off the warning track and over the fence in the gap in leftcenter for a double. Rodriguez worked an 0-2 count full before whiffing on a curveball over the outer half. Young grounded to first, where Sexson underhanded to a covering Meche, moving White to third. Monroe got the hitters' counts and popped the 3-1 pitch to Ichiro in rightcenter.
TOP 4TH
Grade: A
Instant offense. Bloomquist singled into leftfield on the second pitch. Ibañez got behind 0-2, and Bloomquist stole second on the 1-2 pitch. Ibañez ended up fouling off a couple of full-count pitches before slapping a ball toward third, where Polanco held Bloomquist at second and threw over to first. Sexson took a 2-2 pitch barely off the inside corner, fouled off a pitch, then took the next pitch inside for a walk. Beltre blasted the first pitch about ten rows back into the seats inside the leftfield foul pole.
»» TIGERS 4, MARINERS 3
Morse rolled over on an 0-2 pitch, and Guillen plugged up the hole and threw on the run to first, where Shelton picked it out. Reed flew out to centerfield.
BOTTOM 4TH
Grade: B
Sort of a weird, but harmless inning. Infante popped foul to Sexson near the tarp on the right side. Polanco got ahead 3-0 and took a 3-1 pitch low and away for a walk. Guillen threw his bat and whiffed on a 1-1 hit-and-run pitch high and outside, and Gonzalez nailed Polanco at second. Guillen grounded out to second.
TOP 5TH
Grade: C-
Too easy for Maroth. Betancourt got ahead 3-0 and grounded out hard to third on a full count. Gonzalez grounded out to Guillen in the hole on the left side. Ichiro grounded hard to first, and Shelton stepped on the bag.
BOTTOM 5TH
Grade: F
Because one big inning is never enough. Shelton took a 2-2 curveball over the outside corner. Ordoñez singled up the middle and into centerfield. White got ahead 2-0 and later flew out high to Sexson on a full count. Rodriguez roped the first pitch into the gap in leftcenter for a double, scoring Ordoñez from first without a throw (Betancourt held the relay).
»» TIGERS 5, MARINERS 3
Young mashed a single to the right side to score Rodriguez.
»» TIGERS 6, MARINERS 3
Monroe got ahead 2-0 and later took a full-count pitch outside for a walk.
Clint Nageotte made his 2005 debut, coming in for Meche. Infante was beaned on the left elbow on a 1-2 pitch, loading the bases. Polanco bounced a ball past a diving Beltre for a single, scoring two.
»» TIGERS 8, MARINERS 3
Guillen singled hard up the middle, scoring Infante and moving Polanco to second.
»» TIGERS 9, MARINERS 3
Shelton grounded the second pitch up the middle to Betancourt.
Meche's line: 4 2/3 innings, 8 runs (7 earned), 9 hits, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts, 104 pitches (59 strikes)
TOP 6TH
Grade: B
There was some runs, at least. Bloomquist singled past the shortstop and into centerfield for a single. Ibañez singled up the middle, moving Bloomquist to third. Sexson flew out high to the leftfield corner, Bloomquist scored, and Ibañez moved to second.
»» TIGERS 9, MARINERS 4
Beltre popped high to Ordoñez in shallow rightfield. Morse grounded the first pitch through the left side for a single, scoring Ibañez.
»» TIGERS 9, MARINERS 5
Morse was picked off of first with the count 1-1 to Reed.
BOTTOM 6TH
Grade: A
A quick one for Nageotte. Ordoñez grounded out to Beltre behind the bag at third. White popped foul to Sexson on the right side. Rodriguez broke his bat on a first-pitch flyout to leftfield.
Nageotte's line: 1 1/3 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 22 pitches (14 strikes)
TOP 7TH
Grade: C-
Reed splintered his bat on a single into rightfield.
Franklyn German came in for Maroth. Betancourt flew out to Infante on the infield on the first pitch. Gonzalez flew out high on the second pitch to Shelton along the first-base line. Ichiro foul-tipped an 0-2 pitch into the catcher's glove for strike three.
Maroth's line: 6 inning, 5 runs, 7 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, 97 pitches (64 strikes)
BOTTOM 7TH
Grade: B
Masao Kida came in for Nageotte. Young poked a single into rightcenter, and Nook Logan ran for him. Monroe grounded the first pitch to Beltre, who threw hard and wide to second, so only the 5-4 fielder's choice was attained. Infante popped high to Bloomquist in shallow rightfield. Polanco flew out high to centerfield on the first pitch.
TOP 8TH
Grade: B-
This was the last gasp. Bloomquist fisted the second pitch into leftfield for a single. Ibañez got behind 0-2 and looped the 2-2 pitch over Infante at second and into rightfield for a single, moving Bloomquist to third. Sexson got ahead 3-1, whiffed at a pitch, then took the next pitch inside for a walk, loading the bases.
Chris Spurling came in for German. Beltre dropped an 0-2 pitch into rightfield for a single, scoring Bloomquist and keeping the bases loaded.
»» TIGERS 9, MARINERS 6
Morse grounded to short, where Guillen went for a 6-4 fielder's choice. Ibañez scored.
»» TIGERS 9, MARINERS 7
Fernando Rodney came in for Spurling. Reed got behind 0-2, and Jamal Strong ran for Morse. Reed whiffed on a 1-2 pitch outside. Betancourt popped the second pitch high to rightfield.
German's line: 1 inning, 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeouts, 20 pitches (14 strikes)
Spurling's line: 1/3 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 7 pitches (6 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Grade: B-
There was more to try to surmount. Guillen got behind 0-2 and eventually flew out to Ichiro in rightfield. Shelton got ahead 2-0 and roped the 2-2 pitch off the top of the wall in rightfield, which was called a homer shortly thereafter.
»» TIGERS 10, MARINERS 7
Ordoñez got behind 0-2 and grounded out to third. White chopped out to third on the first pitch.
Kida's line: 2 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 23 pitches (18 strikes)
TOP 9TH
Grade: C
Dave Hansen hit for Gonzalez. Hansen took a three-pitch walk but was awarded first after Rodney went to his mouth. Yorvit Torrealba ran for Hansen. Ichiro grounded the second pitch hard to Infante at second, who couldn't come up with it in time for a double play, but was able to throw out Ichiro (Torrealba safe at second). Bloomquist popped to Logan in centerfield, who held on to the ball for a little too long, allowing Torrealba to scoot to third (Rod Allen on FSN Detroit: "GET IT IN!!"). Ibañez got ahead 3-0, then took the next pitch low and inside for a walk. Sexson popped a 1-2 pitch to Infante in shallow rightfield. Ballgame.
Rodney's line: 1 2/3 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, 23 pitches (12 strikes)
---
Gameball: Adrian Beltre.
One could argue this is an obvious gameball, but there were two other Mariner hitters with two or more hits in the game, so there's my excuse. Beltre had one of his better games at the plate as a Mariner, and in a blatant hitters' park, no less. That homer to leftfield is a homer even without the fences being moved in. The great thing about the homer was that it came with two runners on base. I've grown a bit tired of seeing solo shots from Sexson and Ibañez, and the occasional Beltre. Yay for the table being set when Beltre was at the plate. As for defense, he made a couple of strong and long throws from around third, with his only semi-mishap coming on what should have been a double play, when he threw a bit wide of Bloomquist at second. But the big thing is the 2-for-4 with four RBIs. That's a good night for Beltre.
Goat: Gil Meche.
The Detroit TV crew brought up the fact that Gil Meche had a stretch this season where he won six of eight decisions. For me, that's a distant memory. I don't even remember it, seriously. It might be selective memory. Apparently Meche has been 8-4 and 10-6 at certain points this year, but all I remember is a guy prone to the big inning who misses up every once in a while and gets beat around like a pinball machine. Of course, maybe he was due for a game like this one since he hadn't been truly battered in nearly a month (7 runs, 5 earned at Kansas City on July 5th). Still, I'm just disappointed they couldn't unload Meche on any team with a pitching coach who thinks they can turn him around. Could Leo Mazzone turn Meche into a year-in, year-out 16- or 17-game winner? It wouldn't surprise me. Then he'd get a big free-agent contract somewhere else and then stink it up. I remember at one point, I think it might have been spring training or early in the season, when I heard that instead of working corners, they were going to make Meche work the upper and lower parts of the strike zone instead, which I thought sounded like the worst idea, even given the pop on his fastball. Anyway, that's the only semi-fresh material I could come up with for this entry. Meche has exhausted me mentally. Meche has made Jeremy start the Gil Meche Death March. We all know how the Bret Boone Death March ended.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2001 76-30 .717 -- L1
2002 64-42 .604 12 W1
2003 64-42 .604 12 W1
2000 62-44 .585 14 W1
2005 46-60 .434 30 L1
2004 39-67 .368 37 L5
On the FSN Detroit broadcast (MLB.tv), they spit out some stat along the lines of the Mariners being 8-26 (adjusted after the loss) when falling behind in the first inning. I forgot if it was falling behind in the first inning or just being scored against in the first inning, but either way, that stat sucks. In other words, if the Mariners have that happen in the first inning, they'll have less than a one-in-four shot that they'll come back and pull out the win, which seems a little too hopeless to me. Sad stuff, I know. Okay, that's a stretch, it's just that they've been crappy when getting behind early.
The Mariners managed to crank out seven runs in a hitters' park and still lose. Multi-hit games for the Mariner hitters included Beltre (gameball), Willie Bloomquist (3-for-5), and Raul Ibañez (2-for-4 with a walk). Ibañez might have gotten the gameball for me if it weren't for that 'tweener fly ball that he let drop. He's been rusty in leftfield since he's been DHing all year, so naturally I think we're all anticipating the return and hopefully long-term and productive stay of one Chris Snelling. Yes, there will be an Australian, an American (or Statesider, to Canadians who may object to such use of the word American), and a Japanese guy in the outfield for the Mariners. This of course means the Mariners' promo department can pull off some thing with the Woodland Park Zoo and bring a roving exhibit to the ballpark. Here's Chris Snelling with a dingo! Jeremy Reed with a bald eagle! Ichiro with a Japanese crane! I would have thrown Ichiro in with a cherry blossom, but that's kind of not an animal.
On the other hand, things aren't coming up roses or cherry blossoms for Ichiro in the first two games of this series, which have left him 0-for-8 in the month of August with a walk and a strikeout. They won the first game without his production, but weren't so lucky in the second game. When Bloomquist goes 3-for-5 and doesn't manage to drive in any runs, that's not wholly because Ichiro wasn't on base, since the bottom of the lineup comes before that, but Ichiro still didn't get on base. Sexson (1), Beltre (4), and Mike Morse (2) drove in all of the Mariners' runs in this game. Ichiro didn't get on base, and the next guy to drive in a run was the #4 hitter in the lineup. Basically what I'm getting at is that I don't think Bloomquist and Ibañez should be able to combine for five hits and not drive in any runs. Granted, it's an anomaly and Ichiro will get his hits and everything, but this game is this game, and that's what happened.
Can the Mariners pull out the series win? Can Felix help them do that? Much anticipation is had. Stay healthy, Felix. I'm not talking Potvin here either. I think it's much cooler to have a Felix whose nickname has his first name preceded by "King" rather than followed up by "the Cat." Of course, you could go with "El Cartelua," which does look cool when you're reading, but not so much when you're pronouncing it. Too many syllables, and I think after three years of high school Spanish that it's grammatically incorrect. It'd have to be "La Cartelua," matching the feminine article with the feminine noun "Cartelua," but I may be, and probably am wrong. Of course, when Felix makes his first start at the Safe, someone should bring a sign that says "Muthaf#*$!%@ Felix!" though I'm sure even in masked form that wouldn't fly. Remember, I'm a guy who thinks that any ad campaign on television is made 10 times better if you tack on "...bitch!" to the slogan. "Hey bro, what's for dinner?" "Pizza Hut, bitch!" "Awesome!" It's kind of like that completely immature game from high school when you read through the signatures in your yearbook and just tack on "in bed" to all of the stuff that people wrote in your yearbook, not that anybody wrote in mine or anything. That shouldn't surprise any of you.
Hernandez. Douglass. Today.
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