Saturday, July 08, 2006
GAME 87: TIGERS 6, MARINERS 1
[initial partial post]
In 25 words or less: The pride of Pasco outperformed the normally more putrid Piñeiro, and it only took two hours and twenty-four minutes.
This one featured Jeremy Bonderman going up against Joel Piñeiro. On the local TV broadcast, Kevin Calabro took over the play-by-play duties with Dave Niehaus on vacation. Mark Lowe was called up from AA San Antonio to take the vacant spot on the roster left by the trade of Eddie Guardado to the Cincinnati Reds. Lowe sported jersey number 57. Piñeiro came into the game undefeated in his career against the Tigers. Bonderman came into the game undefeated on the road this season. In the grand scope of things this season, the Mariners where hoping to lessen their hobble going into the All-Star break. The Mariners hoped to keep from losing their fifth straight, and that would also be their sixth loss in seven games. Who else misses interleague play? Who misses winning series? The Mariners would still have a chance to win this series with Detroit even with a loss in this one, but the Tigers this year are quite good.
TOP 1ST
Curtis Granderson walked on a high 3-1 pitch. Placido Polanco watched as Granderson took second without a throw on the second pitch. Polanco flew out just short of the leftfield track on a 1-2 pitch as Granderson held at second. Ivan Rodriguez was ahead 2-0 but ended up whiffing on a 2-2 breaking ball in the dirt and way outside. Magglio Ordoñez bounced the first pitch through the left side for a single to score Granderson.
»» TIGERS 1, MARINERS 0
Carlos Guillen grounded the second pitch to Lopez covering the right-side hole. Piñeiro threw 18 pitches.
BOTTOM 1ST
Ichiro bounced out to first. Adrian Beltre bounced a 1-2 pitch to Inge behind the bag at third. Jose Lopez bounced the second pitch hard to third. Bonderman threw nine pitches.
TOP 2ND
Marcus Thames pounced on a hanging 0-2 pitch and one-hopped off the leftfield wall near the manual scoreboard for a double. Craig Monroe popped the first pitch high to Choo in leftcenter. Chris Shelton hit a line drive right to Ibañez in left. Brandon Inge bounced the second pitch hard to Beltre at third, who went to a knee to gobble it up and throw to first. Piñeiro threw nine pitches and had 27 through two.
BOTTOM 2ND
Raul Ibañez rode the second pitch to Thames on the leftfield track, barely getting under it. Richie Sexson fell behind 0-2 and rolled a 1-2 pitch hard to short. Carl Everett fell behind 0-2 and got a hold of a 1-2 pitch, bouncing it off the track and wall in rightcenter, and Ordoñez muffed the barehand attempt when he played it off the wall as Everett ended up on third (double with an error). Kenji Johjima bounced out to short. Bonderman threw 13 pitches and had 22 through two.
TOP 3RD
Granderson popped an 0-2 pitch to center. Polanco looped a single into shallow center. Rodriguez grounded the second pitch hard to third for a 5-4-3 double play. Piñeiro threw eight pitches and had 35 through three.
BOTTOM 3RD
Shin-Soo Choo lined out to center. Yuniesky Betancourt chopped a full-count pitch to short. Ichiro sliced for a flyout to left. Bonderman threw 13 pitches and had 35 through three.
TOP 4TH
Ordoñez lined into shallow center and Choo's diving attempt was barely short as he trapped it. Guillen took the first pitch in the dirt and past Johjima, moving Ordoñez to second. Guillen rolled a 2-0 pitch up the middle to Betancourt, who went to first for the out as Ordoñez moved to third. Thames walked on four pitches. Monroe worked an 0-2 count full before lining out to right, and Ichiro gunned home on target and would have had Ordoñez beat by about eight feet, but Ordoñez tried a different technique and avoided the play altogether, running behind the plate and out of the baseline. Piñeiro threw 17 pitches and had 52 through four.
BOTTOM 4TH
Beltre fell behind 0-2 and bounced a 1-2 pitch to Inge behind the bag at third, who threw on the run to first, and Shelton backed a step into foul territory to take the throw and avoid a collision with Beltre, so nice play there. Lopez fell behind 0-2 and whiffed on a 1-2 breaking ball away. Ibañez flew out to shallow right. Bonderman threw 15 pitches and had 50 through four.
TOP 5TH
Shelton looped a single into shallow center. Inge stole watched the second pitch as Shelton stole second (the throw was a bit late and Lopez had the ball fall out of his glove anyway). Inge rolled slowly to short, moving Shelton to third. Granderson got ahead 2-0 and flew out to center on a 2-2 pitch, but Choo got off a hard throw, but it was up the line and one-hopped Johjima, who didn't come up with the ball as Shelton scored.
»» TIGERS 2, MARINERS 0
Polanco bounced the first pitch to short. Piñeiro threw 12 pitches and had 64 through five.
BOTTOM 5TH
Sexson blistered a down-and-in first pitch into the leftfield corner for a double. Everett was jammed on the first pitch and rolled out to third as Sexson held at second. Johjima rolled over on an outside 1-2 pitch, rolling to short, but Guillen bobbled it and enabled Sexson to safely move to third (might have been out otherwise), but Guillen got the out on Johjima at first anyway. Choo fell behind 0-2 and took a 1-2 tailing fastball over the inside corner. Bonderman threw 12 pitches and had 62 through five.
TOP 6TH
Rodriguez fell behind 0-2 and took a 1-2 pitch over the outside corner. Ordoñez lined an 0-2 pitch up the middle for a single. Guillen had the hitters' counts before flying out high to center. Piñeiro threw 13 pitches and had 77 through six.
BOTTOM 6TH
Betancourt worked a 1-2 count full before whiffing on a breaking ball down and away. Ichiro fell behind 0-2 and ended up flying out to Granderson in leftcenter. Beltre fouled the first pitch hard off his left shin and grounded the next pitch hard to short. Bonderman threw 14 pitches and had 76 through six.
TOP 7TH
Thames flew out to Betancourt moving into shallow leftcenter on the first pitch. Monroe ripped a 2-0 pitch foul but cranked the next pitch, depositing it four rows back into the bleachers above the Jackie Robinson 42 sign.
»» TIGERS 3, MARINERS 0
Shelton tapped the second pitch back to the mound off Piñeiro's foot, but Joel was able to stay with the play and get the out at first. Inge bounced the second pitch to third. Piñeiro threw nine pitches and had 86 through seven.
BOTTOM 7TH
Lopez worked a 1-2 count full before rolling a ball through the left side for a single. Ibañez fell behind 0-2 before bouncing a 1-2 pitch to short to start a 6-4-3 double play. Sexson lined an 0-2 pitch right to Ordoñez on the track in rightfield. Bonderman threw 15 pitches and had 91 through seven.
TOP 8TH
Granderson popped a 2-2 pitch high to center. Polanco smacked a single the other way into rightfield. Rodriguez shot the second pitch through Piñeiro's feet and into center for a single, moving Polanco to second. Ordoñez flew out to fairly deep center as Polanco held at second. Guillen blistered a 2-0 pitch to the rightfield wall for a double, easily scoring Polanco and moving Rodriguez to third.
»» TIGERS 4, MARINERS 0
Julio Mateo came in for Piñeiro. Thames laid the barrel forth and sprayed a double into the leftfield corner, scoring Rodriguez and Guillen and doing even more damage to Piñeiro's ERA, but it's not like it was good to begin with. Alexis Gomez came in to run for Thames.
»» TIGERS 6, MARINERS 0
Monroe flew out high to Beltre in front of the third-base camera well on a 2-2 pitch.
Piñeiro's line: 7 2/3 innings, 6 runs, 10 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, 103 pitches (68 strikes)
Mateo's line: 1/3 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 11 pitches (7 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Gomez stayed in to play left for Thames. Everett popped the second pitch to Guillen in shallow center. Johjima rode the first pitch to deep center in front of the inebriation, but Granderson made a nice running catch just in front of the wall. Choo whiffed on an 0-2 breaking ball. Bonderman threw six pitches and had 97 through eight.
TOP 9TH
Mark Lowe came in for Mateo to make his Major League debut. Shelton bounced the second pitch up the middle and Betancourt had the ball go off his glove into center for a single (hard play). Inge fell behind 0-2 and bounced the 1-2 pitch off the track in rightcenter and into the crowd for a ground-rule double, moving Shelton to third. It's possible a centerfielder faster than Choo makes a flyout out of that, but alas, we have Choo. Granderson took an 0-2 pitch to the right tricep to load the bases. Pitching coach Rafael Chaves came to the mound for a visit. Polanco worked a 1-2 count full before whiffing on a nice low slider. Rodriguez bounced the first pitch to the right side, where Lowe picked it up near the line and threw home a bit off-balance to force out Shelton and keep the bases loaded. Ordoñez whiffed on a 2-2 low slider.
Lowe's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, 25 pitches (18 strikes)
BOTTOM 9TH
Betancourt stung an 0-2 pitch up the middle for a single. Ichiro flew out high to left on the first pitch. Beltre bounced an 0-2 pitch way behind the bag at third, where Inge gunned over to second to force out Betancourt. Lopez lined an 0-2 pitch into left for a single, moving Beltre to second. Ibañez dumped an 0-2 pitch into shallow center, scoring Beltre and moving Lopez to second.
»» TIGERS 6, MARINERS 1
Joel Zumaya came in for Bonderman. Sexson whiffed on a 1-2 megafastball.
Bonderman's line: 8 2/3 innings, 1 run, 6 hits, 0 walks, 4 strikeouts, 110 pitches (83 strikes)
Zumaya's line: 1/3 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 4 pitches (3 strikes)
---
Gameball: Mark Lowe.
I say why not? Joel Piñeiro got pretty deep into the game and actually threw a lot better than I've seen for most of the season, but he still gave up ten hits. When Mike Hargrove brought Julio Mateo in from the bullpen, Piñeiro was pretty much screwed and his runners were probably going to score anyway. Still, Piñeiro's line looks a lot better if you take two runs out of it, which might be possible with someone other than Mateo being the first guy out of the bullpen in that scenario. Bill Bavasi found a way to cut bait with Eddie Guardado, and he deserves some credit for that, but if he were able to deal Mateo away as well, it'd be great. Anyway, Mark Lowe made his Major League debut and really was the only reason the crowd at the Safe had any reason to cheer as he got out of his own jam in the ninth. Lowe kinda short-arms the ball during his delivery, which reminds me of another pitcher who wore 57 that whose name I can't place right now. Lowe's also got some nice zip on his fastball and has a nice little slider. I hope he can stick for a while.
Goat: Ichiro.
For Ichiro, it's a slump. He's hitless in his last three games and hasn't gotten a hit in 12 at-bats dating back to the first game of the series against the Angels. It's a good way to sink a season batting average from .358 to .347. Of course, it's also a good way to stall the Mariners' offense as well. When he doesn't produce, the Mariners almost have to not be themselves in order to win a game. If Ichiro's not on base wreaking havoc and whatnot, they either have to depend on others to get on base, which for them is hard to do, hope their starting pitcher absolutely shuts down the other team (also rare), or hope that somehow the offense gets homer-happy that day. If you want any more proof, the Mariners have a record of 3-16 this season when Ichiro hangs up a doughnut in the hit column. Think about that for a second -- that's thirteen games under .500. Granted, the Mariners are in a crappy stretch right now (not just due to Ichiro struggling), but they're ten games over .500 when Ichiro manages to get a hit.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2001 63-24 .724 -- W1
2003 55-32 .632 8 L1
2002 54-33 .621 9 L2
2000 51-36 .586 12 L1
2006 42-45 .483 21 L5
2005 39-48 .448 24 W4
2004 33-54 .379 30 W1
LINEUP SINCE THE TWEAK (May 30th)
Ichiro 56-for-146 (.384), 4 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 16 RBIs, 15 walks, 12 strikeouts
Beltre 43-for-142 (.303), 13 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 21 RBIs, 12 walks, 24 strikeouts
Lopez 36-for-132 (.273), 10 doubles, 2 triples, 1 homer, 18 RBIs, 7 walks, 19 strikeouts
Ibañez 40-for-124 (.323), 6 doubles, 1 triple, 11 homers, 37 RBIs, 16 walks, 22 strikeouts
Sexson 32-for-129 (.248), 5 doubles, 10 homers, 32 RBIs, 13 walks, 29 strikeouts
Everett 18-for-89 (.202), 1 double, 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 6 walks, 21 strikeouts
Johjima 35-for-109 (.321), 8 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers, 16 RBIs, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Choo 1-for-11 (.091), 1 double, 4 strikeouts
Betancourt 32-for-117 (.274), 3 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, 5 walks, 13 strikeouts
Miner. Washburn. Tonight.
/ Click for main page
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
GAME 86: ANGELS 4, MARINERS 0
[initial partial post]
[horrible error in a Moyer-related stat in the Goat paragraph fixed 6 Jul at ~8:01p]
In 25 words or less: If Carl Everett wouldn't have gotten miffed and gotten tossed in the eighth, this game might have finished in under two hours.
This one featured Bartolo Colón going up against Jamie Moyer. Colón hadn't won a game yet this season, and reports said that he wasn't throwing as fast as people had seen in the past out of him. Dave Niehaus was on vacation, so Ron Fairly's voice was heard on television, which has been a rarity this season. Oh yeah, Carl Everett blew up in Mike Hargrove's office after the game on the 4th. Coming into the game, the Mariners had been shut out nine times this season, four of them occurring in Moyer's starts. Though it's obvious to some where the Mariners are heading in the near future, they were heading into this game hoping to avoid a loss which would be their fourth straight and fifth in six games. No matter what happened in this game, the Mariners had already lost the series against the Angels by dropping the first two games. This is quite the turn in fortune as the Mariners had won four straight series before dropping the last two. They won six of the seven series previous to last weekend's series against the Rockies.
TOP 1ST
Chone Figgins fell behind 0-2 and ended up bouncing out to second on a 1-2 pitch. Maicer Izturis got ahead 3-1 and walked on a low full-count pitch. Orlando Cabrera chopped the second pitch to short, where Betancourt nearly turned the softly-hit ball for a double play, only getting a force at second. Vladimir Guerrero had the hitters' counts before walking on a full-count pitch in the dirt. Mike Napoli popped the first pitch to Sexson behind the bag at first. Moyer threw 20 pitches.
BOTTOM 1ST
Ichiro took a 1-2 pitch over the inside corner that tailed back over the inside corner. Adrian Beltre grounded the second pitch hard behind the bag at third, where it ate up Quinlan and went down the leftfield line for a double. Jose Lopez broke his bat on a second-pitch roller to short as Beltre held at second. Raul Ibañez grounded hard to first. Colón threw 11 pitches.
TOP 2ND
Garret Anderson popped high to Lopez in shallow center. Juan Rivera took a 1-2 pitch over the outside corner. Kendry Morales rolled the first pitch to short. Moyer threw 11 pitches and had 31 through two.
BOTTOM 2ND
Richie Sexson chopped an 0-2 pitch to third. Carl Everett rolled a 1-2 pitch to short and Cabrera's throw bounced past Morales at first (single). Kenji Johjima looped an 0-2 pitch into shallow rightcenter for a single. Shin-Soo Choo rolled a 1-2 pitch to second for a 4-6-3 double play. Colón threw 14 pitches and had 25 through two.
TOP 3RD
Robb Quinlan rolled a 2-2 pitch to short, where Betancourt made the spin move and threw to first and the throw was picked by Sexson. Figgins fell behind 0-2 and popped a 1-2 pitch high to first. Izturis flew out to center on the first pitch. Moyer threw ten pitches and had 41 through three.
BOTTOM 3RD
Yuniesky Betancourt fell behind 0-2 before lining out to right on a 1-2 pitch. Ichiro popped the first pitch to Quinlan in foul ground near the third-base coaches' box. Beltre reached on an outside 0-2 pitch and rolled it over to short. Colón threw nine pitches and had 34 through three.
TOP 4TH
Cabrera flew out to left on an 0-2 pitch. Guerrero rolled the second pitch to the right side, where Sexson ran straight to the bag and Lopez had to run across half the infield to try to make a play and couldn't (single). Napoli popped high to short. Anderson took a full-count pitch over the outside corner with the runner going. Moyer threw 14 pitches and had 55 through four.
BOTTOM 4TH
Lopez popped the second pitch near the leftfield corner. Ibañez whacked a 3-1 pitch into right for a single. Sexson rolled the second pitch to short to start a 6-4-3 double play. Colón threw ten pitches and had 44 through four.
TOP 5TH
Rivera stuck a 2-0 pitch through the left side for a single. Morales reached for an outside 1-2 pitch, singling into left to move Rivera to second. Quinlan drove the second pitch into the mass of inebriation beyond the wall in leftcenter, scoring Rivera and Morales.
»» ANGELS 3, MARINERS 0
Figgins bunted the first pitch along the right side, where Moyer scooped and tossed with the glove for the out. Izturis grounded a 3-1 pitch to second. Cabrera golfed a fly ball into the visitors' bullpen, though Ibañez had the ball go off his glove this time as opposed to the highlight-reel play from a few days earlier against Colorado.
»» ANGELS 4, MARINERS 0
Guerrero was down 0-2 and rode the 2-2 pitch short of the track in center. Moyer threw 25 pitches and had 80 through five.
BOTTOM 5TH
Everett foul-tipped a high full-count pitch into Napoli's glove behind the plate. Johjima one-hopped a 2-0 pitch to third. Choo popped the second pitch high to short. Colón threw 11 pitches and had 55 through five.
TOP 6TH
Napoli foul-tipped a full-count pitch into Johjima's glove behind the plate. Anderson popped the second pitch to Betancourt near the leftfield line. Rivera rolled out to short. Moyer threw 11 pitches and had 91 through six.
BOTTOM 6TH
Betancourt rolled out to short. Ichiro grounded the second pitch to first. Beltre popped to Figgins in rightcenter on the first pitch. Colón threw seven pitches and had 62 through six.
TOP 7TH
Morales whiffed on a 1-2 change away in the dirt. Quinlan was up 3-0 and ended up rolling the 3-1 pitch to Lopez near the bag at second. Figgins looped a 2-2 pitch along the rightfield line for a double as Ichiro had a long way to run to get it. Izturis popped to Choo in very shallow center on a 2-0 pitch.
Moyer's line: 7 innings, 4 runs, 6 hits, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts, 108 pitches (64 strikes)
BOTTOM 7TH
Lopez tapped the first pitch back to Colón. Ibañez popped an 0-2 pitch very high to Morales near the first-base coaches' box. Sexson grounded the first pitch to short, where Cabrera made a spin move and threw in time to first. Colón threw six pitches and had 68 through seven.
TOP 8TH
Emiliano Fruto came in for Moyer. Cabrera popped the second pitch to Sexson in foul ground on the right side. Guerrero popped to right on the first pitch. Napoli got ahead 2-0 and foul-tipped a full-conut fastball into Johjima's glove.
Fruto's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 10 pitches (7 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Izturis moved to third for Quinlan and Adam Kennedy came in to play second. Everett grounded a 1-2 pitch hard to Morales behind the bag at first, after which he jawed at first-base umpire Brian Knight, though it might have had something to do with Phil Cuzzi's strike zone behind the plate. Everett had to be restrained by Mike Hargrove and first-base coach Mike Goff. Everett was eventually tossed, marked by a delay where Cuzzi stood with hands on hips behind the plate as he waited for Everett to leave the dugout. Johjima lined the second pitch to center for a flyout. Choo took a 1-2 pitch off the back of the right calf, ending a streak of 12 straight retired Mariner hitters. Betancourt bounced to the left side, where Izturis plugged the hole nicely and threw in time to first. Colón threw 13 pitches and had 81 through eight.
TOP 9TH
George Sherrill came in for Fruto. Anderson popped the second pitch high to short. Rivera worked an 0-2 count full and lined one to center, where Choo had the ball go off the heel of his glove, and it appeared his eyes may have closed somewhere along the way as Rivera ended up on second (error). Morales was up 2-0 and ended up rolling to second on a 2-2 pitch, moving Rivera to third. Kennedy whiffed on all three pitches he saw.
Sherrill's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 17 pitches (11 strikes)
BOTTOM 9TH
Ichiro popped to Guerrero near the track in the rightfield corner. Beltre fell behind 0-2 and popped to Morales in front of the first-base dugout on a 1-2 pitch. Lopez popped to Cabrera moving back into shallow left.
Colón's line: 9 innings, 0 runs, 4 hits, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, 91 pitches (68 strikes)
---
Gameball: George Sherrill.
I gave him the gameball after Monday's game, and two nights later, here he is again. It's not necessarily because I thought he was the best player in the game as much as he was the least suckiest. I can't say too many things different from the gameball paragraph from two nights beforehand. One thing that is different is that he has now started out his month of July with three scoreless appearances and counting. What may be refreshing for him is that he's faced more than one batter in each of his appearances so far this month. In the first two appearances, one against Colorado and another one against the Angels, he faced two batters each. In this game, he faced an incredible four hitters. The three July outings have taken Sherrill's ERA from 3.80 down to 3.42. I just remembered the Mariners got him out of the Northern League, and I can't help but think what might have happened if Bob Melvin didn't throw Sherrill's Northern League compatriot Bobby Madritsch for a billion pitches every outing. Could you imagine if this starting rotation had a tiny bit more depth?
Goat: Ichiro.
Great hitter, sure. This we know, and this none of us doubt. Of course, I have to give the goat to somebody in this game. I could give it to Jamie Moyer, but there are some days where Moyer should be able to give up four runs and win a game. In his five wins, he's given up a total of eight runs and had as ERA of 1.96. In his five no-decisions, he has an ERA of 3.82. In his eight losses, it is only 4.36 (adjusted after I realized while at work that I'd divided innings pitched by earned runs and edited it when I got home). But hey, this paragraph is supposed to be about Ichiro. I don't think it's wrong to look straight to the top of the lineup when the whole offense sputters in a game, especially with this team. In a series against a key division rival who the Mariners should have buried if they were a team of any worth, Ichiro went 1-for-11 with a single, a walk, an RBI, and two strikeouts. Isn't it fitting that the two All-Stars on the team tonight went a combined 0-for-8? In any event, the series slump lowered Ichiro's batting average from .359 after the Colorado series to its current .351. Unfortunately, I think the only thing we'll get to root for down the stretch is for this guy to beat out Joe Mauer for the batting title, since it's obvious that the whole this-team-might-be-kinda-good thing has fallen by the wayside.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2001 62-24 .721 -- L1
2003 55-31 .640 7 W1
2002 54-32 .628 8 L1
2000 51-35 .593 11 W2
2006 42-44 .488 20 L4
2005 38-48 .442 24 W3
2004 32-54 .372 30 L9
LINEUP SINCE THE TWEAK (May 30th)
Ichiro 56-for-142 (.394), 4 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 16 RBIs, 15 walks, 12 strikeouts
Beltre 43-for-138 (.312), 13 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 21 RBIs, 12 walks, 24 strikeouts
Lopez 34-for-128 (.266), 10 doubles, 2 triples, 1 homer, 18 RBIs, 7 walks, 18 strikeouts
Ibañez 39-for-120 (.325), 6 doubles, 1 triple, 11 homers, 36 RBIs, 16 walks, 22 strikeouts
Sexson 31-for-125 (.248), 4 doubles, 10 homers, 32 RBIs, 13 walks, 28 strikeouts
Everett 17-for-86 (.198), 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 6 walks, 21 strikeouts
Johjima 35-for-106 (.330), 8 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers, 16 RBIs, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Choo 1-for-8 (.125), 1 double, 2 strikeouts
Betancourt 31-for-114 (.272), 3 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, 5 walks, 12 strikeouts
Bonderman. Piñeiro. Friday.
/ Click for main page
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
GAME 85: ANGELS 14, MARINERS 6
[initial partial post]
In 25 words or less: I think the Mariners just declared themselves independent from winning baseball. Hope you enjoyed the week they were at or above .500.
This one featured Ervin Santana going up against Gil Meche. The Mariners were hoping to avoid a three-game losing streak. A loss here would make it a futility strech of four losses in five games. They just got done winning six of seven games, 11 of 14, and 21 of 28. The good news is that the Mariners won't see the AL West for a month. The bad news is that they haven't seen the National League since the weekend and they won't for the rest of the season, and that includes the World Series since there's no way in hell they'll get there. Amazingly, the Mariners led this game 5-1 after four innings of play. A total of 14 more runs were scored in the game, only one of which were scored by the Mariners. The Angels scored the first 11 of the runs as well as the last three.
TOP 1ST
Chone Figgins rolled the second pitch to second. Maicer Izturis had the hitters' counts before looping out to Lopez backing into center. Orlando Cabrera popped high to right on a 1-2 pitch. Meche threw 12 pitches.
BOTTOM 1ST
Ichiro fell behind 0-2 before looping a 1-2 pitch for a dying fly ball into center, where Figgins caught the ball at the shoetops and then slid, so not a sliding catch. Adrian Beltre grounded an 0-2 pitch hard to first. Jose Lopez got ahead 2-0 before whiffing on a 2-2 slider away. Santana threw 13 pitches.
TOP 2ND
Vladimir Guerrero grounded the second pitch hard to third. Garret Anderson took a 1-2 curve at the knees over the inside corner. Juan Rivera worked an 0-2 count for a walk, which is always great. Kendry Morales also worked an 0-2 count full, but he flew out to Choo a few steps in front of the track in center. Meche threw 21 pitches and had 33 through two.
BOTTOM 2ND
Raul Ibañez got ahead 2-0 and rode a 2-2 pitch to Figgins a step or two short of the centerfield track. Richie Sexson popped the second pitch to shallow right. Carl Everett grounded the second pitch hard to first, where Morales bobbled it, but had enough time to throw to first (3-1 putout). Santana threw nine pitches and had 22 through two.
TOP 3RD
Adam Kennedy lined a single into rightcenter. Jose Molina whiffed on a 1-1 pitch and Kennedy was gunned down by five feet on what was probably a failed hit-and-run. Molina took the next pitch (1-2) over the outside corner for strike three. Figgins whiffed on a 2-2 change low and away. Meche threw 14 pitches and had 47 through three.
BOTTOM 3RD
Kenji Johjima bounced out to third. Shin-Soo Choo lined the first pitch right to Morales' glove at first. Yuniesky Betancourt popped out to Figgins in leftcenter on the second pitch. Santana threw six pitches and had 28 through three.
TOP 4TH
Izturis drag-bunted the second pitch along the right side, where Meche didn't come up cleanly with the ball, but Meche tried flipping it to Sexson but threw wide as Izturis took a turn toward second but tried to retreat. Sexson went back to get the ball and threw back to first to try to get Izturis, but the throw hit Izturis (Sexson's first error of the season), who was able to move to second as another throw toward second got away. Cabrera grounded the first pitch to second, moving Izturis to third. Guerrero got a 1-2 count and the Mariners drew the infielders back in to cut off the run at the plate. Guerrero ended up flying out high to center on a full count, easily scoring Izturis. Choo had a decent throw on the play.
»» ANGELS 1, MARINERS 0
Anderson grounded the second pitch to first. Meche threw 11 pitches and had 58 through four.
BOTTOM 4TH
Ichiro was up 3-0 and took a low 3-1 pitch for a walk. Beltre nicely slapped an up-and-away pitch to right for a single on a hit-and-run, moving Ichiro to third. Lopez lined the second pitch into shallow right and Rivera's sliding catch attempt was a bit short, scoring Ichiro and moving Beltre to second.
»» ANGELS 1, MARINERS 1
Ibañez clubbed the second pitch four rows into the rightfield seats, scoring Beltre and Lopez. Not an All-Star, apparently.
»» MARINERS 4, ANGELS 1
Sexson blasted the first pitch six rows into the seats in rightcenter.
»» MARINERS 5, ANGELS 1
Everett was ahead 3-0 and ended up whiffing on a low full-count breaking ball. Johjima popped a 3-0 pitch high to Kennedy on the edge of the outfield grass. Choo rolled the second pitch to second. Santana threw 25 pitches and had 53 through four.
TOP 5TH
Rivera bashed a 2-0 pitch into the third row of rightfield seats.
»» MARINERS 5, ANGELS 2
Morales flew out to left on a 1-2 pitch. Kennedy rolled out to second. Molina flew out to right on the first pitch. Meche threw 12 pitches and had 70 through five.
BOTTOM 5TH
Betancourt singled into center on the first pitch. Ichiro lined the second pitch up the middle to Cabrera, who threw to first in time to double off Betancourt. Beltre grounded an 0-2 pitch behind the bag at third, where Izturis made a nice stop and throw just in time to first. Santana threw six pitches and had 59 through five.
TOP 6TH
Figgins worked a 1-2 count for a walk. Izturis watched as Figgins was nearly picked off of first. Izturis got ahead 3-1 and ended up smoking the full-count pitch past Meche and into center for a single, moving Figgins to second. Pitching coach Rafael Chaves and the starting infield visited the mound. Cabrera fell behind 0-2 and punched a 1-2 pitch through the left side for a single, scoring Figgins and moving Izturis to second. Cabrera has now reached base in 61 straight games.
»» MARINERS 5, ANGELS 3
Julio Mateo came in for Meche. Guerrero drilled a ball to the leftfield wall for a double, scoring Izturis and moving Cabrera to third.
»» MARINERS 5, ANGELS 4
Anderson was intentionally walked to load the bases. Rivera popped the second pitch to Ichiro deep in rightcenter, who made a nice catch near the shoestrings, scoring Cabrera and moving Guerrero to third.
»» ANGELS 5, MARINERS 5
Morales was up 2-0 and ended up doubling to the rightfield wall, scoring Guerrero and moving Anderson to third.
»» ANGELS 6, MARINERS 5
Kennedy was intentionally walked. Chaves came to the mound for a visit. Molina shot the first pitch to the mound, and Mateo got a hand on it but it went between first and second, and Lopez had no play, scoring Anderson and keeping the bases loaded.
»» ANGELS 7, MARINERS 5
Figgins popped the second pitch to Ibañez running toward the leftfield line, scoring Morales from third.
»» ANGELS 8, MARINERS 5
Izturis lined a 1-2 single into center to score Kennedy and the cutoff relay to third was late to get Molina.
»» ANGELS 9, MARINERS 5
Cabrera popped an 0-2 pitch high to Sexson on the infield grass. Mateo threw 27 pitches.
Meche's line: 5 innings, 5 runs (4 earned), 5 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, 87 pitches (54 strikes)
Mateo's line: 1 inning, 4 runs, 4 hits, 2 walks, 0 strikeouts, 27 pitches (13 strikes)
BOTTOM 6TH
Lopez was down 0-2 and fouled off five 2-2 pitches before whiffing on a breaking ball. Ibañez was up 3-1 and whiffed on a full-count breaking ball inside. Sexson blistered a line drive right at Izturis at third. Santana threw 19 pitches and had 78 through six.
TOP 7TH
Jake Woods came in for Mateo. Guerrero walked on four pitches. Anderson popped a 2-2 pitch to shallow center. Rivera smacked a single past a diving Betancourt and into left, moving Guerrero to second. Morales doubled into the leftfield corner, scoring Guerrero and Rivera.
»» ANGELS 11, MARINERS 5
Kennedy looped the second pitch just off the glove of Betancourt at short, who alertly picked the ball up and threw to third to catch Morales, who had overrun third base. Molina lined the first pitch to Ibañez in front of the leftfield track. Woods threw 19 pitches.
BOTTOM 7TH
Everett whiffed on an 0-2 pitch in the dirt (2-3 putout). Johjima flew out to Figgins in leftcenter, who reached up to make the catch. Choo whiffed on a 2-2 breaking ball. Santana threw 11 pitches and had 89 through seven.
TOP 8TH
Figgins flew out to Choo a couple steps in front of the centerfield track on the second pitch. Izturis grounded to Sexson well off the bag at first, who underhanded to Woods racing to first, who lost the footrace to Izturis, but Woods tagged him near the face before any feet touched the first-base bag. Cabrera lined a 2-2 pitch to left. Woods threw 11 pitches and had 30 total.
Woods' line: 2 innings, 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, 30 pitches (16 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Betancourt chopped the second pitch high off the plate to Izturis, who had no play to first (single). Ichiro hit a 2-0 pitch to the right side, where Kennedy made a dive to stop it and throw to first, moving Betancourt to second. Beltre took the first pitch and it got away from Molina, moving Betancourt to third. Beltre got ahead 2-0 and ended up grounding to third to score Betancourt.
»» ANGELS 11, MARINERS 6
Lopez tapped a 2-2 pitch back to the mound. Santana threw 14 pitches and had 103 through eight.
Santana's line: 8 innings, 6 runs, 6 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, 103 pitches (68 strikes)
TOP 9TH
Rafael Soriano, back from soreness to which we still don't know the degree, came in for Woods. Guerrero rolled the second pitch along the third-base line for the most unGuerrero-like single as Beltre had no play. Anderson dumped the second pitch a ways in front of Choo in shallow center for a single, moving Guerrero to second. Rivera wedged a fly ball just inside the rightfield foul pole, scoring Guerrero and Anderson.
»» ANGELS 14, MARINERS 6
Morales popped a 1-2 pitch to Johjima along the screen behind the plate. Kennedy grounded an 0-2 pitch behind the bag at first. Molina whiffed on an 0-2 pitch. Soriano threw 19 pitches.
Soriano's line: 1 inning, 3 runs, 3 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 19 pitches (16 strikes)
BOTTOM 9TH
JC Romero came in for Santana, Erick Aybar came in to play short, Figgins moved over to left, and Tommy Murphy came in to play center. Ibañez popped the second pitch to short. Sexson was ahead 3-0 before flying out to fairly deep leftcenter on a full count. Eduardo Perez, hitting for Everett, bounced the second pitch to third.
Romero's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 10 pitches (5 strikes)
---
Gameball: Raul Ibañez.
As of right now, the following are not the numbers of an American League All-Star (84 games): .286 batting average, .356 on-base percentage, .538 slugging percentage, 18 doubles, 4 triples, 19 home runs, 68 RBIs, 37 walks, and 57 strikeouts. However, those are the numbers of the most consistent hitter on this Mariner team this year. Ibañez has had three consecutive hitless games only once this season. Five other times he's been hitless in two straight games. By my quick count, he's had ten other scattered hitless games, which I'd usually call scattered singles, except there aren't any hits involved. So, other math says that he's hit safely in 61 of 84 games this season. The three straight hitless games knocked 13 points off his batting average back in mid-May. The first game of that stretch, he was 0-for-1 and drew three walks in the game. The others were an 0-for-5 and an 0-for-3. As shown below, he's driven in 36 runs since Mike Hargrove adjusted the lineup. By month, he drove in 16 runs in April, 20 in May, 27 in June, and five so far in July.
Goat: Julio Mateo.
He threw in the final two games of the Colorado series and had a day off before being summoned in this one. He threw a combined 3 1/3 innings in those games. George Sherrill, Emiliano Fruto, and Joel Piñeiro had thrown the night before. JJ Putz, Mateo, Eddie Guardado, and Sean Green threw on Saturday. I'm trying to find a way to bag on Hargrove here for putting in Mateo after pulling Gil Meche today (which he did way too quickly, by the way), but the only thing I can come up with is that he should have put in Jake Woods instead or left Meche in for a couple more batters. I'd have let him try to work out of that jam. I don't like what Hargrove did now, and I didn't like it at the time. Still, his two only real choices for the first guy out of the bullpen would have been Mateo or Woods. Piñeiro only threw that night because it was his scheduled bullpen day. Fruto threw 51 pitches last night, half of what a starting pitcher might normally throw. Really, though, Fruto was only used last night because Rafael Soriano wasn't available (though thankfully he was today). So Soriano's inavailability had a domino effect on the bullpen and the usual garbage-time righty out of the bullpen would have been Fruto (or Green before the back spasms), but he was forced to throw last night. In sum, it should have been Woods out of the pen first, but not for another three batters or so in that inning.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2001 62-23 .729 -- W1
2002 54-31 .635 8 W2
2003 54-31 .635 8 L2
2000 50-35 .588 12 W1
2006 42-43 .494 20 L3
2005 37-48 .435 25 W2
2004 32-53 .376 30 L8
LINEUP SINCE THE TWEAK (May 30th)
Ichiro 56-for-138 (.406), 4 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 16 RBIs, 15 walks, 11 strikeouts
Beltre 42-for-134 (.313), 12 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 21 RBIs, 12 walks, 24 strikeouts
Lopez 34-for-124 (.274), 10 doubles, 2 triples, 1 homer, 18 RBIs, 7 walks, 18 strikeouts
Ibañez 38-for-117 (.325), 6 doubles, 1 triple, 11 homers, 36 RBIs, 16 walks, 22 strikeouts
Sexson 31-for-122 (.254), 4 doubles, 10 homers, 32 RBIs, 13 walks, 28 strikeouts
Everett 16-for-83 (.193), 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 6 walks, 20 strikeouts
Johjima 34-for-103 (.330), 8 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers, 16 RBIs, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Choo 1-for-6 (.167), 1 double, 2 strikeouts
Betancourt 31-for-111 (.279), 3 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, 5 walks, 12 strikeouts
Colón. Moyer. Tomorrow.
/ Click for main page
GAME 84: ANGELS 7, MARINERS 1
[initial partial post]
In 25 words or less: Why do I have the sinking feeling that the Mariners won't win another game for a week or so?
This one featured Jered Weaver going up against Felix Hernandez. When on the TV broadcast, Dave Niehaus mistakenly referred to Weaver as Jarrod Washburn at least once. I suppose it could be somewhat confusing since Washburn did wear number 56 for the Angels last year, much like Weaver does now. The Mariners called up Shin-Soo Choo (wearing number 17) to platoon with Willie Bloomquist in centerfield for the injured Jeremy Reed. Also, Sean Green left the Sunday night game with back spasms from hell, so Emiliano Fruto was called up in his place. Also, it was Singles Night at the ballyard. On the field, the Mariners only got five of those in this game. The Mariners hoped to avoid losing their third game in four tries after having won 11 of 14.
TOP 1ST
Chone Figgins was down 0-2 and flew out to Ibañez along the leftfield stands on the line in foul ground on a 1-2 pitch. Maicer Izturis one-hopped the second pitch to short. Orlando Cabrera hit a broken-bat slow nubber to short on an 0-2 pitch. Hernandez threw ten pitches.
BOTTOM 1ST
Ichiro foul-tipped a 2-2 up-and-away fastball into Napoli's glove behind the plate. Adrian Beltre whiffed on a 2-2 breaking ball. Jose Lopez flew out to left on an 0-2 pitch. Weaver threw 14 pitches.
TOP 2ND
Vladimir Guerrero fouled the first pitch off his back knee before lining a single into left. Garret Anderson got ahead 2-0 and ended up bouncing up the middle to Betancourt to start a 6-5-3 double play (shift was on). Mike Napoli whiffed on a 1-2 breaking ball away. Hernandez threw 13 pitches and had 23 through two.
BOTTOM 2ND
Raul Ibañez fell behind 0-2 and took a 2-2 pitch barely down and in before whiffing on a full-count breaking ball (eighth pitch). Richie Sexson lined a 2-2 pitch right to Anderson in left. Carl Everett nubbed the second pitch to second. Weaver threw 15 pitches and had 29 through two.
TOP 3RD
Juan Rivera dumped a single into shallow center. Kendry Morales chopped a 1-2 breaking ball high into the air, but Hernandez was able to get it and throw to first in time as Rivera moved to second. Adam Kennedy fell behind 0-2 before whiffing on a 1-2 breaking ball in the dirt. Figgins rolled the first pitch through the right side for a single, scoring Rivera as Ichiro had trouble getting the ball out of his glove for a throw.
»» ANGELS 1, MARINERS 0
Izturis got ahead 3-1 before whiffing on a fastball up over the outside corner. Hernandez threw 19 pitches and had 42 through three.
BOTTOM 3RD
Kenji Johjima grounded the 1-2 pitch hard to third. Shin-Soo Choo roped the second pitch into the rightfield corner for a double. Yuniesky Betancourt nubbed a 2-2 ptich to first, where Morales had Betancourt run into his tag as Choo moved to third. Ichiro whiffed on a 2-2 change low and away. Weaver threw 16 pitches and had 45 through three.
TOP 4TH
Cabrera chopped the second pitch very high to short, but Betancourt picked it out of the air and gunned just in time to first. Guerrero bounced the first pitch to third. Anderson whiffed on a full-count curve. Hernandez threw ten pitches and had 52 through four.
BOTTOM 4TH
Beltre fell behind 0-2 and whiffed on a 1-2 breaking ball over the outside corner. Lopez rode the 3-1 pitch to the track in center. Ibañez slapped a 1-2 pitch to left for a single, as it shorthopped into Anderson's glove. Sexson had the hitters' counts before taking a full-count fastball over the inside corner. Weaver threw 20 pitches and had 65 through four.
TOP 5TH
Napoli got ahead 3-0 before popping high to third on a full count. Rivera walked on a 3-1 fastball down and away. Morales crushed the second pitch nine rows into the rightfield seats, scoring Rivera.
»» ANGELS 3, MARINERS 0
Kennedy popped the second pitch to Ichiro in shallow rightcenter. Figgins was up 2-0 but ended up taking a full-count curve for strike three. Hernandez threw 22 pitches and had 74 through five.
BOTTOM 5TH
Everett was down 0-2 and ended up popping to Cabrera moving back into shallow left on a 2-2 pitch. Johjima blistered a single down the leftfield line. Choo lined the second pitch to Anderson on the leftfield track. Betancourt drove a full-count pitch foul that may have had home-run distance before taking the next pitch down and away, moving Johjima to second. Pitching coach Bud Black came to the mound for a visit. Ichiro laced the first pitch into center for a single, scoring Johjima and moving Betancourt to second.
»» ANGELS 3, MARINERS 1
Beltre rolled a 2-2 pitch to short. Weaver threw 23 pitches and had 88 through five.
TOP 6TH
Izturis popped to Choo in center, his first fly ball of the call-up. Cabrera whiffed on an 0-2 breaking ball in the dirt away. Guerrero bounced the first pitch to third. Hernandez threw eight pitches and had 82 through six.
BOTTOM 6TH
Lopez blistered the first pitch into left for a single. Ibañez got too much air under a fly ball that carried Figgins to the track in leftcenter. Sexson whiffed on a 1-2 breaking ball low and away. Everett chopped the second pitch to the mound. Weaver threw ten pitches and had 98 through six.
TOP 7TH
Anderson flew out to Choo in rightcenter. Napoli worked an 0-2 count for a walk. Rivera bounced to Beltre on the left side, who went to second for the out as Rivera beat out the back half of the double play. Pitching coach Rafael Chaves came to the mound for a visit. Morales dumped the second pitch into shallow center for a single, moving Rivera to second. Kennedy took the first pitch inside and it got past Johjima and to the backstop, moving Rivera and Morales to third and second (passed ball). Kennedy took the next pitch over everything and to the backstop, making the count 2-0 as it banked back to Johjima. Two pitches later, Kennedy dropped a single along the leftfield line, scoring Rivera and Morales.
»» ANGELS 5, MARINERS 1
George Sherrill came in for Hernandez. Figgins took the 2-1 pitch for a strike, but Kennedy had second break stolen and had a huge jump. Figgins lined the next pitch to a running Choo in center. Sherrill threw five pitches.
Hernandez' line: 6 2/3 innings, 5 runs (4 earned), 6 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts, 101 pitches (63 strikes)
BOTTOM 7TH
Johjima popped a ball near the leftfield line and stands, but a fan reached for the ball, though apparently not into the field of play or very close to it. Third-base umpire Phil Cuzzi ruled it as a foul ball (no interference) despite Scioscia's argument. Johjima ended up flying out to center on a full count. Choo whiffed on an 0-2 fastball. Betancourt took a 1-2 pitch for strike three.
Weaver's line: 7 innings, 1 run, 5 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts, 111 pitches (73 strikes)
TOP 8TH
Izturis popped foul to the right side, where Sexson made a basket catch near the tarp roll.
Emiliano Fruto came in for Sherrill. Cabrera plunked an 0-2 pitch into left for a single. Guerrero took the second pitch way inside and to the backstop, moving Cabrera to second. Guerrero lined out to second on the next pitch. Anderson was intentionally walked. Napoli had the hitters' counts before walking on a full count to load the bases. Rivera grounded hard to third, where Beltre bobbled it but gobbled it back up and threw in time to first. Fruto threw 18 pitches.
Sherrill's line: 2/3 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 8 pitches (5 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Scot Shields came in for Weaver. Ichiro bounced the second pitch to short. Beltre pounded an 0-2 pitch through the left side for a single. Lopez fell behind 0-2 and tapped the 1-2 pitch to second to start a 4-6-3 double play.
Shields' line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 10 pitches (7 strikes)
TOP 9TH
Morales wedged the first pitch into right for a single. Kennedy dropped a single in front of Ichiro for a single, and Ichiro threw down to third unsuccessfully to get Morales, then Beltre threw back to second unsuccessfully to get Kennedy. Figgins poked a 3-1 pitch up the middle into center for a single to score Morales and Kennedy, the latter of whom beat the throw home by Choo, but Johjima was able to pick Figgins off of first.
»» ANGELS 7, MARINERS 1
Izturis foul-tipped a 2-2 pitch into Johjima's glove (eighth pitch). Cabrera walked on four pitches. Guerrero rolled a single into leftcenter, moving Cabrera to second. Tommy Murphy came in to run for Guerrero. Chaves came to the mound for a visit. Anderson fouled off five pitches with a full count before walking to load the bases (eleven pitches in the at-bat).
Joel Piñeiro came in for Fruto. Napoli fell behind 0-2 before whiffing on a full-count breaking ball (ninth pitch).
Fruto's line: 1 1/3 innings, 2 runs, 5 hits, 4 walks, 1 strikeout, 51 pitches (28 strikes)
Piñeiro's line: 1/3 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 9 pitches (6 strikes)
BOTTOM 9TH
Hector Carrasco came in for Shields. Ibañez popped the second pitch high to center. Sexson walked on an outside 3-1 pitch. Everett popped an 0-2 pitch high to right. Johjima whiffed on an 0-2 pitch.
Carrasco's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 14 pitches (9 strikes)
---
Gameball: George Sherrill.
I've apparently developed such a sense of security with George Sherrill on the mound that it really doesn't seem like he had an ERA of 9.00 for the month of June. For the record, he had a 2.35 ERA in April and a 2.08 mark in May. He gave up two runs each in April and May, but gave up five in June. With the role Mike Hargrove has put him in, though, it's the nature of the beast for Sherrill. He has outings where he walks one hitter and gets yanked, he has outings where he gives up one hit and gets pulled, etc. He's started off the month of July with two scoreless appearances. He gave up runs in four of his 11 appearances in June. He gave up runs in two of 11 appearances in May and two of 13 appearances in April. Sherrill has walked 16 hitters to go with 24 strikeouts, which isn't quite the ratio we'd like out of him, but at least it's not the other way around. Wanna know of a semi-odd tidbit that hopefully doesn't curse Sherrill from this point forward? He still has yet to give up a home run this season.
Goat: Felix Hernandez.
Will we ever see the Felix we saw last year? Who is the real Felix? Is it the one that dazzled everyone in the Northwest last season, or is it the one that's been on the mound for most of this season? I know Felix is going to throw to a few catchers in his career, and he's going to have to get used to different catchers and everything. My thinking is that if the Mariners seriously think they have a chance in this division race, they should make Rene Rivera the personal catcher for Hernandez. Unfortunately it's small sample size mania considering Rene Rivera has caught for only three of the 17 starts by Felix this season. With Kenji Johjima behind the plate, the average Felix line is 6 innings, 4 runs (3.6 earned), 6.9 hits, 2 walks, 5.2 striekouts, and 100 pitches (63 strikes). With Rivera back there, his average line is 7 innings, 3 runs (2.3 earned), 5.7 hits, 1 walk, 8.3 strikeouts, and 96 pitches (66 strikes). Probably the best set of numbers I can dish out are that Felix has an ERA of 5.44 when throwing to Johjima and an ERA of 3.00 with Rivera back there. Small sample size, sure, but it's worth a shot.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2001 61-23 .726 -- L2
2003 54-30 .643 7 L1
2002 53-31 .631 8 W1
2000 49-35 .583 12 L2
2006 42-42 .500 19 L2
2005 36-48 .429 25 W1
2004 32-52 .381 29 L7
LINEUP SINCE THE TWEAK (May 30th)
Ichiro 56-for-135 (.415), 4 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 16 RBIs, 14 walks, 11 strikeouts
Beltre 41-for-130 (.315), 12 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 20 RBIs, 12 walks, 24 strikeouts
Lopez 33-for-120 (.275), 10 doubles, 2 triples, 1 homer, 17 RBIs, 7 walks, 16 strikeouts
Ibañez 37-for-113 (.327), 6 doubles, 1 triple, 10 homers, 33 RBIs, 16 walks, 21 strikeouts
Sexson 30-for-118 (.254), 4 doubles, 9 homers, 31 RBIs, 13 walks, 28 strikeouts
Everett 16-for-80 (.200), 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 6 walks, 18 strikeouts
Johjima 34-for-100 (.340), 8 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers, 16 RBIs, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Choo 1-for-3 (.333), 1 double, 1 strikeout
Betancourt 29-for-108 (.269), 3 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, 5 walks, 12 strikeouts
Santana. Meche. Today.
/ Click for main page
Monday, July 03, 2006
GAME 83: ROCKIES 4, MARINERS 3 (11 INNINGS)
[initial partial post]
In 25 words or less: Mike Hargrove cost the Mariners this game, first place in the AL West, and quite possibly their starting (though light-hitting) centerfielder as a result.
This one featured Jason Jennings going up against Jarrod Washburn. Washburn was pitching with a sore left knee. To cut to the chase with why Hargrove should be fired here, let's just say that the Mariners traded a budding young minor-league shortstop in Asdrubal Cabrera a few days ago and got lefty-mashing Eduardo Perez in return. There were a bunch of opportunities late in the game when Brian Fuentes was pitching that Perez could have been brought off the bench to pinch hit, i.e., exactly the reason he was brought to Seattle. He didn't get off the bench until Reed got injured in the 11th on the dive in centerfield and Willie Bloomquist was moved out there. Perez was brought in to play first. The fact that Hargrove brought in Bloomquist to pinch-run for Sexson and didn't put him in centerfield right away like he normally does surprised me, and if he'd done that, we're not talking about Reed being out for a few months with a broken thumb. Hargrove's best move was bringing JJ Putz in with the bases loaded and nobody out in the eighth, though that followed a Grady Little-like move of bringing Washburn out to start the eighth in the first place. Of course, he was a bit strapped because now it turns out Rafael Soriano might be injured as well, and he's not the only one as Sean Green had brutal back spasms after his appearance in the 11th in this game.
In short, I hope everyone's enjoyed the last few weeks because it might be all downhill for the Mariners after this.
TOP 1ST
Jamey Carroll dumped a fly ball along the rightfield line that no one could get to for a single. Clint Barmes bunted the first pitch back to Washburn, who threw to first as Carroll moved to second. Todd Helton bounced a 1-2 pitch to second, moving Carroll to third. Matt Holliday popped to Lopez backing up into shallow right. Washburn threw 12 pitches.
BOTTOM 1ST
Ichiro bounced out to second. Adrian Beltre popped the first pitch high to right. Jose Lopez hit the second pitch off the end of the bat and dumped a single into shallow center. Raul Ibañez blistered a single through the right side, moving Lopez to second. Richie Sexson whiffed on a 2-2 pitch. Jennings threw 14 pitches.
TOP 2ND
Garrett Atkins was up 3-0 before walking on a 3-1 outside pitch. Ryan Spilborghs broke his bat on a line drive right to short, and Atkins raced back to first to beat Betancourt's attempt to double him off. Brad Hawpe popped to Betancourt in shallow left on a 2-2 pitch. JD Closser whiffed on a 2-2 pitch. Washburn threw 19 pitches and had 31 through two.
BOTTOM 2ND
Carl Everett was down 0-2 and ended up taking a 1-2 pitch over the inside corner. Jeremy Reed fouled a 1-1 pitch off a foot and worked the count full from 1-2 before driving a fly ball that carried Freeman to the leftcenter track. Rene Rivera popped the first pitch to right. Jennings threw 14 pitches and had 28 through two.
TOP 3RD
Choo Freeman chopped the first pitch high to third, where Beltre charged and barehanded it, but it got away from him and went into the stands, moving Freeman to second. Carroll tapped the second pitch back to the mound, and Washburn alertly turned and threw to third, just barely getting Freeman as Carroll reached. Barmes was up 3-0 before popping a 3-1 pitch to Sexson in foul ground on the right side. Helton flew out to left on the first pitch. Washburn threw nine pitches and had 40 through three.
BOTTOM 3RD
Yuniesky Betancourt whiffed badly on an 0-2 pitch. Ichiro fished and popped the second pitch to center. Beltre walked on a full count. Lopez took an 0-2 pitch to the back, moving Beltre to second. Ibañez took the 3-0 green light and lined to centerfield, where Freeman ran forward and made a diving catch. Jennings threw 18 pitches and had 46 through three.
TOP 4TH
Holliday whiffed on an 0-2 pitch up in the zone over the outer half. Atkins worked a 1-2 count full before popping to Ichiro in right. Spilborghs flew out to right. Washburn threw 14 pitches and had 54 through four.
BOTTOM 4TH
Sexson took a 2-2 pitch down over the inside corner. Everett dumped the second pitch into rightcenter for a single. Reed popped high to shallow right. Rivera whiffed on an 0-2 pitch well off the plate outside. Jennings threw 13 pitches and had 59 through four.
TOP 5TH
Hawpe walked on an outside 3-1 pitch. Closser bunted a but hard along the right side and Sexson went straight to second with the throw and got Hawpe. Freeman shot a ball through the right side after it went off the end of Lopez' glove and into rightfield (perhaps trying to make the turn too soon) for a single, moving Closser to third. Carroll popped the first pitch to center, scoring Closser.
»» ROCKIES 1, MARINERS 0
Barmes didn't see a pitch as Washburn picked Freeman off of first (1-3-6). Washburn threw 13 pitches and had 67 through five.
BOTTOM 5TH
Betancourt popped the first pitch to right. Ichiro walked on four pitches. Beltre took a 2-2 pitch up and in and Ichiro nabbed second. Beltre ended up popping to Helton behind the bag at first on the next pitch (full count). Lopez tapped the second pitch to the mound. Jennings threw 13 pitches and had 72 through five.
TOP 6TH
Barmes whiffed on an 0-2 pitch up and away. Helton slapped the second pitch into left for a single. Holliday was down 0-2 and nearly dropped a 1-2 pitch into the rightfield corner for a double. Holliday ended up flying out to right on the next pitch. Atkins watched the first pitch as Helton nabbed second but no further even with the throw into centerfield by Rivera. Atkins grounded a 1-2 pitch hard to Lopez in the hole on the right side, who knocked it down and gobbled it up, then threw in time to first. Washburn threw 15 pitches and had 82 through six.
BOTTOM 6TH
Ibañez grounded the second pitch hard behind the bag at first and Helton raced over to the bag and was just barely beat by Ibañez (Jennings was late to cover). Sexson blasted a belt-high first-pitch fastball twelve rows into the leftfield seats, just inside the foul pole.
»» MARINERS 2, ROCKIES 1
Everett grounded hard behind the bag at first, where Helton stepped on the bag with much less of a race this time. Reed fouled off five pitches before flying out to center (0-2 count). Rivera got down 0-2 and lined out to left on a 1-2 pitch. Jennings threw 16 pitches and had 88 through six.
TOP 7TH
Spilborghs looped the second pitch into shallow right for a single. Hawpe popped to shallow left. Closser flew out to center. Freeman lined out to left on a 0-2 pitch. Washburn threw 14 pitches and had 96 through seven.
BOTTOM 7TH
Betancourt looped a broken-bat single into shallow left. With Betancourt taking off from first, Ichiro hit a swinging bunt along the left side, where Jennings came up empty on a barehand attempt and had a low-speed collision with Closser as well as Betancourt went to second and Ichiro reached. Beltre bunted the first pitch to the left side, where Jennings made the throw to first, moving Betancourt and Ichiro to third and second. Lopez popped the second pitch to not-so-shallow right, but Betancourt was sent from third anyway and was out by about eight feet and had the plate blocked by the left leg of Closser. Jennings threw
Jennings' line: 7 innings, 2 runs, 7 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, 97 pitches (65 strikes)
TOP 8TH
Carroll was up 3-1 and took a high full-count pitch for a walk. Barmes bounced a first-pitch bunt high between first and the mound, but Sexson couldn't come up with it and everyone was safe. Helton walked on four pitches to load the bases with nobody out.
JJ Putz came in for Washburn. Holliday flew out to right on the first pitch, and Carroll held at third since Ichiro had enough time and momentum to get off a good throw. Atkins lined the second pitch a bit deeper to right, but it took Ichiro backward, so Carroll scored easily and Barmes went to third.
»» ROCKIES 2, MARINERS 2
Jorge Piedra, hitting for Spilborghs, whiffed on an 0-2 splitter. Putz threw six pitches.
Washburn's line: 7 innings, 2 runs, 6 hits, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts, 108 pitches (68 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Tom Martin came in for Jennings. Ibañez got ahead 2-0 but whiffed on a 2-2 offspeed pitch.
Jose Mesa came in for Martin. Sexson got ahead 3-0 and ended up taking a 3-1 pitch up and in and to the backstop. Willie Bloomquist came in to run for Sexson. Everett walked on four pitches, moving Bloomquist to second. Pitching coach Bob Apodaca came to the mound for a visit. Reed popped high to center as I once again was surprised he wasn't pinch-hit for. Roberto Petagine, hitting for Rivera, grounded an 0-2 pitch to second. Mesa threw 16 pitches.
Martin's line: 1/3 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 5 pitches (3 strikes)
TOP 9TH
Kenji Johjima came in to catch for Rivera and Bloomquist came in to play first for Sexson. Hawpe took a 1-2 pitch for strike three. Closser rolled the first pitch to second. Freeman fell behind 0-2 and whiffed on a 1-2 splitter in the dirt (2-3 putout). Putz threw ten pitches and had 16 total.
Putz' line: 2 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts, 16 pitches (14 strikes)
BOTTOM 9TH
Betancourt got ahead 2-0 and whiffed on a 2-2 pitch way down and away. Ichiro was up 3-0 and stroked the 3-1 pitch to the gap and rolled it to the rightfield wall for a triple. Beltre was intentionally walked. Lopez was also intentionally walked, moving Beltre to second and loading the bases (an Apodaca visit occurred with a 2-0 count).
Brian Fuentes came in for Mesa. Ibañez whiffed on a 1-2 pitch over the outside corner. Bloomquist, who wasn't lifted for Eduardo Perez at this point, tapped the second pitch back to the mound. Fuentes threw six pitches.
Mesa's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 4 walks, 1 strikeout, 35 pitches (13 strikes)
TOP 10TH
Julio Mateo came in for Putz. Carroll popped a 2-2 pitch to center. Barmes popped the first pitch to Betancourt near the leftfield line. Helton popped an 0-2 pitch to Betancourt in shallow left. Mateo threw 12 pitches.
BOTTOM 10TH
Everett, not lifted for Perez, fell behind 0-2 and whiffed on a belt-high 1-2 fastball. Reed popped into shallow center. Johjima fell behind 0-2 and popped a 2-2 pitch to Helton in front of the Mariners' dugout. Fuentes threw 14 pitches and had 20 total.
Fuentes' line: 1 2/3 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, 20 pitches (14 strikes)
TOP 11TH
Holliday shot a 1-2 pitch past Bloomquist at first and into the rightfield corner for a double. Atkins grounded the second pitch to third, where Beltre knocked it down and threw to first as Holliday held at second.
Eddie Guardado came in for Mateo. Piedra popped an 0-2 pitch to Beltre near the coaches' box on the left side. Hawpe dropped a 2-2 pitch into some miscommunication in rightcenter between Reed and Ichiro as Reed made a dive at the last second and had the ball go under him as Holliday scored and Hawpe went to second. Reed looked to have injured his wrist or thumb on the dive (later revealed as a broken thumb). Bloomquist moved out to play center and Eduardo Perez came in to play first.
»» ROCKIES 3, MARINERS 2
Closser worked a 1-2 count full before dropping a single past the reach of Lopez moving back into rightfield, scoring Hawpe.
»» ROCKIES 4, MARINERS 2
Freeman got ahead 3-1 and walked on a full count, moving Closser to second.
Sean Green came in for Guardado. Carroll was ahead 2-0 and flew out to left on a full count. Green threw eight pitches.
Mateo's line: 1 1/3 innings, 1 run, 1 hit, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 18 pitches (14 strikes)
Guardado's line: 1/3 inning, 1 run, 2 hits, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, 20 pitches (11 strikes)
Green's line: 1/3 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 8 pitches (5 strikes)
BOTTOM 11TH
Scott Dohmann came in for Fuentes. Betancourt flew out to left. Ichiro got a hold of the second pitch, homering into the fourth row of seats in rightfield. Too bad Betancourt didn't get aboard.
»» ROCKIES 4, MARINERS 3
Beltre fell behind 0-2 and popped the 1-2 pitch to second. Lopez rolled the first pitch through the left side for a single. Ibañez
Ray King came in for Dohmann. Ibañez rode a fly ball to the centerfield track.
Dohmann's line: 2/3 inning, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 10 pitches (7 strikes)
King's line: 1/3 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 3 pitches (2 strikes)
---
Gameball: Richie Sexson.
The big guy hit the two-run homer that should have held up for the Mariners and resulted in a virtual tie for first place with the Oakland Athletics, who were busy getting swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks. The homer was Sexson's only hit of the game, but it proved to be big as the game had been scoreless for four innings and the Mariners didn't score until Sexson's homer in the sixth. July so far has only consisted of two games, but Sexson is 3-for-7 in the two games with a homer and three RBIs. Starting with his 3-for-4 game on June 20th (a 12-game span starting with the opening game of the series at Dodger Stadium), Sexson has gone 17-for-50 (.340) with four doubles, four homers, and 13 RBIs. His batting average has gone from .205 to .227 as a result with the 5-for-5 game (June 25th at San Diego) being a large reason why. His slugging percentage? That's 33 total bases over 50 at-bats, so he's been slugging .660 in that span. They need the numbers out of Sexson, sure, but the timing of his homer today was simply brilliant. The game pretty much turned on that homer and didn't turn the other way until Jarrod Washburn loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth.
Goat: Jeremy Reed.
I don't know if I'd go as far as to say this was the end of Reed as a starting centerfielder in a Mariner uniform, but it just might be. He nearly had the wrist injury in spring training, but it turned out the fracture they found was an old one, and it bailed the Mariners out of a treacherous situation in centerfield. Then Reed's hitting dropped off a bit to the extent that Mike Hargrove started benching him against lefties, which at first I cried foul about. Then given a few more at-bats against lefties, Reed did nothing. Since I've been a defender of Reed, I could say that maybe Hargrove got it into his head at that point, maybe not. Then Reed started getting benched for Willie Bloomquist a few times and Matt Lawton once or twice, the former of which I was not a big fan. He'd gotten steady at-bats since, with the net result being that Reed hit really well in southern California and not so great everywhere else. In this last series, he appeared shaky on a couple of fly balls that he normally would get. I'm tempted to say he might have finally taken his offensive struggles into the field with him. Of course, I'm saying that just days after his diving catch in the final game of the Arizona series played a big part in the win. Now the Mariners are left to decide what to do with their centerfield situation and manage to keep themselves in the division race. As far as I'm concerned, making Willie Bloomquist the everyday centerfielder is not an option. By the way, Reed has six homers this year, double what Bloomquist has for his career.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2001 61-22 .735 -- L1
2003 54-29 .651 7 W1
2002 52-31 .627 9 L1
2000 49-34 .590 12 L1
2006 42-41 .506 19 L1
2005 35-48 .422 26 L2
2004 32-51 .386 29 L6
LINEUP SINCE THE TWEAK (May 30th)
Ichiro 55-for-131 (.420), 4 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 15 RBIs, 14 walks, 9 strikeouts
Beltre 40-for-126 (.317), 12 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 20 RBIs, 12 walks, 22 strikeouts
Lopez 32-for-116 (.276), 10 doubles, 2 triples, 1 homer, 17 RBIs, 7 walks, 16 strikeouts
Ibañez 36-for-109 (.330), 6 doubles, 1 triple, 10 homers, 33 RBIs, 16 walks, 20 strikeouts
Sexson 30-for-115 (.261), 4 doubles, 9 homers, 31 RBIs, 12 walks, 26 strikeouts
Everett 16-for-76 (.211), 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 6 walks, 18 strikeouts
Johjima 33-for-96 (.344), 8 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers, 16 RBIs, 5 walks, 7 strikeouts
Reed 21-for-97 (.216), 2 doubles, 1 triple, 4 homers, 7 RBIs, 4 walks, 12 strikeouts
Betancourt 29-for-106 (.274), 3 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts
In addition, since this was a start with Rene Rivera started, it's pretty much standard that I show the average line for a starting pitcher with Rivera behind the plate, which is now 7 innings, 2.6 runs (2.3 earned), 5.8 hits, 1.8 walks, 5.4 strikeouts, and 104 pitches (68 strikes). The starting pitchers have an ERA of 3.00 with Rivera behind the plate. This game was the first time Rivera caught for Jarrod Washburn in a start. He has caught for Felix Hernandez three times, Joel Piñeiro four times, Gil Meche twice, and Jamie Moyer three times. Starting pitchers have gotten into the sixth inning in all but one and into the seventh in all but two of the games where Rivera has started behind the plate.
Weaver. Hernandez. Tonight.
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Sunday, July 02, 2006
GAME 82: MARINERS 8, ROCKIES 7
[initial partial post]
In 25 words or less: Piñeiro pitching means an automatic appearance from The Big Inning(TM)! What I'm not used to is the Mariners coming back from five runs down.
This one featured Byung-Hyun Kim going up against Joel Piñeiro. Adrian Beltre came into the game 0-for-13 lifetime against Kim. This was the 82nd game of the season, and the Mariners looked to kick off their second half of the season with a win. A win here would take them to a stretch of winning six of seven and 11 of 14 games. If you want to take it really far back, they'd have won 20 of 28 games since the six-game losing streak that left them ten games under .500 at 22-32 after a 6-4 loss at Texas on May 30th, their low-water mark of the season. Coming into this game, the Mariners had been at or above .500 after 11 games this season. They had been above .500 after six games and they were looking to go for seven since a loss would send them back to break-even at 41-41.
TOP 1ST
Jamey Carroll flew out high to leftcenter, where Ibañez stuck a foot into the wall and reached over the concrete exit shed in the visitors' bullpen to take the homer away from Carroll (later went as the #2 Web Gem on Baseball Tonight, beaten out only by a crazy catch in Texas by Gary Matthews, Jr.). Cory Sullivan was up 2-0 and ended up lining out to left. Todd Helton dumped the second pitch into left for a single. Matt Holliday grounded hard to the hole on the left side, where Betancourt made a dive and threw to second for the force. Piñeiro threw 13 pitches.
BOTTOM 1ST
Ichiro smacked a 2-0 pitch down the rightfield line for a double. Adrian Beltre whiffed on a 1-2 pitch off the plate outside. Jose Lopez was up 3-1 and ended up whiffing on a full-count pitch at least a foot off the plate outside. Raul Ibañez crushed the second pitch into the equipment tunnel in rightcenter, scoring Ichiro.
»» MARINERS 2, ROCKIES 0
Richie Sexson popped the second pitch to Hawpe in fairly deep right. Kim threw 18 pitches.
TOP 2ND
Garrett Atkins grounded out to short. Brad Hawpe slapped a 1-2 pitch into the leftfield corner for a double. Jorge Piedra whiffed on a 2-2 curve. Yorvit Torrealba walked on four pitches. Clint Barmes dumped an 0-2 pitch into shallow center for a single, scoring Hawpe and moving Torrealba to second. The pitch target was set outside, but it actually got a good chunk of the plate.
»» MARINERS 2, ROCKIES 1
Carroll fell behind 0-2 and a balk was called on Piñeiro, moving Torrealba to third and Barmes to second. Carroll slapped a 1-2 pitch into shallow right for a single, scoring Torrealba easily and Barmes, who had just enough to beat the throw, sliding past the tag. Carroll went to second on the play.
»» ROCKIES 3, MARINERS 2
Sullivan dumped the first pitch into shallow left for a single (not quite a sliding Ibañez catch), scoring Carroll easily.
»» ROCKIES 4, MARINERS 2
Helton had the hitters' counts and walked on a 3-1 pitch down and away, moving Sullivan to second. Holliday ripped the second pitch through the right side for a single, where Ichiro threw home and Johjima took the ball up the line and Sullivan evaded the tag, though Helton was hung up between second and third to end the inning. Piñeiro threw 36 pitches and had 49 through two.
»» ROCKIES 5, MARINERS 2
BOTTOM 2ND
Carl Everett took a 1-2 pitch over the outside corner. Kenji Johjima barely missed a double down the line on the second pitch and took the 0-2 pitch off the left elbow body armor. Jeremy Reed bounced the second pitch to second. Kim threw nine pitches and had 27 through two.
TOP 3RD
Atkins popped the first pitch high to center. Hawpe was up 3-1 before slapping a full-count curve into the leftfield corner for a double. Piedra bounced out to second, moving Hawpe to third. Torrealba drove a 2-0 pitch into the fourth row in rightfield, scoring Hawpe. Piñeiro is terrible.
»» ROCKIES 7, MARINERS 2
Barmes rolled an 0-2 pitch to short, but Betancourt's throw was low, but not picked by Sexson, who usually gets that (Betancourt tagged with the error). Carroll got ahead 3-1 as pitching coach Rafael Chaves came out to the mound and Mike Hargrove went straight for the bullpen phone. Carroll ended up bouncing a full-count pitch off the track and the foul pole and into the crowd for a double. The umpiring crew held Barmes up at third. Piñeiro heard some boos upon his exit.
Jake Woods came in for Piñeiro. Sullivan worked a 1-2 count full before taking a fastball across the outside corner. Woods threw six pitches.
Piñeiro's line: 2 2/3 innings, 7 runs, 9 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, 70 pitches (46 strikes)
BOTTOM 3RD
Betancourt had the hitters' counts before lining to center, where Sullivan had to race backward in time to reach up and make the catch. Ichiro walked on four pitches. Beltre fell behind 0-2 and whiffed once again on a 1-2 pitch about a foot off the plate outside. Lopez watched the first pitch as Ichiro stole second. Lopez bounced a 2-2 pitch to short. Kim threw 21 pitches and had 48 through three.
TOP 4TH
Helton fell behind 0-2 and bounced a 1-2 pitch to second. Holliday grounded the first pitch hard to third. Atkins bounced the second pitch to short. Woods threw eight pitches and had 14 total.
BOTTOM 4TH
Ibañez flew out high to third on a 1-2 pitch. Sexson stroked a 2-2 pitch into shallow leftcenter for a single. Everett lined a 2-0 pitch into the third row in rightfield to score Sexson, and Dave Henderson totally called it.
»» ROCKIES 7, MARINERS 4
Johjima held his bat out on a 2-2 pitch way outside, but was called out by the first-base umpire. Reed drove a ball off the track in rightcenter and to the wall for a triple (Sullivan was playing toward leftcenter). Pitching coach Bob Apodaca came to the mound for a visit. Betancourt grounded right to first on the second pitch. Kim threw 25 pitches and had 73 through four.
TOP 5TH
Hawpe whiffed on a 2-2 breaking ball down and away. Piedra popped out to left. Torrealba lined a 3-1 pitch into center for a single. Barmes fell behind 0-2 and took a 1-2 pitch in the dirt that hopped high on Johjima, enabling Torrealba to move to second. Barmes ended up flying out high to center on a 2-2 pitch. Woods threw 20 pitches and had 34 total.
BOTTOM 5TH
Ichiro was ahead 2-0 before slapping a 2-2 pitch into center for a single. Beltre dumped the second pitch into the gap in rightcenter for a single, moving Ichiro to third. Lopez popped to shallow right as the runners had to hold.
Ray King came in for Kim. Ibañez took a 1-2 pitch that in the dirt that got away from Torrealba behind the plate and toward the first-base dugout, enabling Ichiro to score and Beltre to advance 180 feet to third.
»» ROCKIES 7, MARINERS 5
Ibañez whiffed on the next pitch (2-2 count). Sexson shot the second pitch through the left side for a single to score Beltre.
»» ROCKIES 7, MARINERS 6
Everett popped to Barmes falling into the crowd along the third-base side (foul ground, of course).
Kim's line: 4 1/3 innings, 6 runs, 7 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts, 84 pitches (53 strikes)
King's line: 2/3 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 13 pitches (8 strikes)
TOP 6TH
Carroll rolled an 0-2 pitch up the middle, where Lopez made a dive for it, but had somewhat of a time trying to get off a throw, and the throw from a knee was late. Sullivan lined an 0-2 pitch into center that Reed looked like he had, but it went further down than his glove was, and he kicked it into right (Sullivan credited with the double), moving Carroll to third. Heloton tapped the first pitch back to the mound as the runners held. Holliday was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Julio Mateo came in for Woods. Atkins popped the second pitch high to Sexson, who made a semi-basket catch near the rail along the first row of seats. Hawpe lined the first pitch to Ichiro in right. Mateo threw three pitches.
Woods' line: 2 2/3 innings, 0 runs, 3 hits, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, 47 pitches (30 strikes)
BOTTOM 6TH
David Cortes came in for King. Johjima dumped the first pitch along the rightfield line for a single. Reed flew out to center on an 0-2 pitch. Betancourt took a 2-2 pitch over the outside corner. Ichiro was up 3-1 and lasered a full-count pitch into the fourth row of seats in rightfield, scoring Johjima.
»» MARINERS 8, ROCKIES 7
Beltre popped a very high and away 0-2 pitch just short of the rightfield track. Cortes threw 21 pitches.
TOP 7TH
Piedra worked a 1-2 count full before flying out to Ichiro just in front of the rightfield wall (ninth pitch). Torrealba lined the first pitch to Ichiro on the rightfield track. Barmes grounded hard to third. Mateo threw 13 pitches and had 16 total.
BOTTOM 7TH
Lopez rolled an 0-2 pitch through the left side for a single.
Tom Martin came in for Cortes. Ibañez walked on a 3-1 pitch up and in, moving Lopez to second. Apodaca visited the mound again. Sexson lined a 2-2 pitch to left that was nicely snared by Holliday, who faded back and reached high above his head to make the catch as Lopez had to go back to second and Ibañez ran so far he had to touch second and first. Everett tapped the first pitch slowly to second, moving Lopez and Ibañez to third and second. Johjima was intentionally walked to load the bases. Reed, who I'm a bit surprised Hargrove didn't pinch-hit for at this point, whiffed over a 2-2 fastball over the outer half.
Cortes' line: 1 inning, 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 25 pitches (20 strikes)
Martin's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, 21 pitches (9 strikes)
TOP 8TH
Carroll one-hopped the second pitch to second.
George Sherrill came in for Mateo. Ryan Spilborghs, hitting for Sullivan, was down 0-2 before foul-tipping a 2-2 inside-corner pitch into Johjima's glove behind the plate. Helton was down 0-2 and tapped the 2-2 pitch back to the mound.
Mateo's line: 2 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 18 pitches (14 strikes)
Sherrill's line: 2/3 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, 10 pitches (6 strikes)
BOTTOM 8TH
Scott Dohmann came in for Martin and Spilborghs stayed in to play center for Sullivan. Betancourt lined the second pitch over Barmes at short for a single. Ichiro watched a 2-2 pitch go by as Betancourt was just barely nailed at second by Torrealba. Ichiro ended up walking on an inside full-count pitch. Beltre was down 0-2 before bouncing a 2-2 pitch to third to start a 5-4-3 double play.
Dohmann's line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, 15 pitches (8 strikes)
TOP 9TH
JJ Putz came in for Sherrill. Holliday grounded the second pitch hard to short. Atkins was up 3-1 before taking a full-count pitch at the knees over the outside corner (might have been a tiny bit outside). Hawpe whiffed on an 0-2 splitter in the dirt.
Putz' line: 1 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, 11 pitches (8 strikes)
---
Gameball: Richie Sexson.
The tall guy went 2-for-4 with an RBI. The RBI was highly instrumental in the game as it was the one that got the Mariners to within one run in the fifth at 7-6. The inning started with both Ichiro and Adrian Beltre getting aboard. Jose Lopez failed to advance either runner. Ichiro scored on a wild pitch to Raul Ibañez and Beltre moved to third, but Ibañez struck out on the next pitch. The Mariners had pushed one run across in the inning that made it 7-5 for the Rockies. Sexson jumped on the second pitch to plate Beltre from third for an incredibly clutch two-out RBI. Possibly just as important as what Sexson did do in this game is what he didn't do. He didn't strike out at all. I probably shouldn't say that since it might curse him, but let's hope it doesn't. Sexson had an average of .255 in June along with a slugging percentage of .539. His career batting average is .267 and he's slugged .521. He is currently at .225 and .418 for the season. Back to the strikeouts, though, he struck out only 21 times in June after striking out 28 times in April and 36 times in May.
Goat: Joel Piñeiro.
I wish he was some other team's problem. I've said for a while now that the team should have cut bait with either Piñeiro or Gil Meche last offseason, but they still have both and I wish they had neither. I knew they needed at least one of the two since their organizational starting pitching depth is sad, but I wish one of them was gone. Nonetheless, we're left to watch Piñeiro go out there every five days and...well, you know. Piñeiro's ERA last decreased two starts before this one, an 8-5 win in the middle game of the series at Dodger Stadium. Even in that game he was tagged for ten hits. His last great start was five starts before this one, a 12-1 Mariner win against the Royals on June 3rd when he gave up one run over seven innings. Since that start, he's had a total line of 24 1/3 innings, 29 runs (25 earned), 40 hits, 12 walks, 12 strikeouts, and 459 pitches (292 strikes). That works out to an average line over five starts of 5 innings, 5.8 runs (5 earned), 8 hits, 2.4 walks, 2.4 strikeouts, and 91.8 pitches (58.4 strikes). His ERA over his last five starts? How does 9.25 sound to you? This guy is the Mariners' #2 starter in the rotation, by the way.
Yr W-L Pct GB Stk
2001 61-21 .744 -- W5
2003 53-29 .646 8 L1
2002 52-30 .634 9 W1
2000 49-33 .598 12 W1
2006 42-40 .512 19 W1
2005 35-47 .427 26 L1
2004 32-50 .390 29 L5
LINEUP SINCE THE TWEAK (May 30th)
Ichiro 52-for-126 (.413), 4 doubles, 1 triple, 4 homers, 14 RBIs, 13 walks, 9 strikeouts
Beltre 40-for-123 (.325), 12 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 20 RBIs, 10 walks, 22 strikeouts
Lopez 30-for-112 (.268), 10 doubles, 2 triples, 1 homer, 17 RBIs, 6 walks, 16 strikeouts
Ibañez 34-for-103 (.330), 6 doubles, 1 triple, 10 homers, 33 RBIs, 16 walks, 18 strikeouts
Sexson 29-for-112 (.259), 4 doubles, 8 homers, 29 RBIs, 11 walks, 24 strikeouts
Everett 15-for-72 (.208), 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 5 walks, 16 strikeouts
Johjima 33-for-95 (.347), 8 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers, 16 RBIs, 5 walks, 7 strikeouts
Reed 21-for-92 (.228), 2 doubles, 1 triple, 4 homers, 7 RBIs, 4 walks, 12 strikeouts
Betancourt 28-for-101 (.277), 3 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, 5 walks, 9 strikeouts
Jennings. Washburn. Today.
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