g21 | neeeeeeeded that!

Mariners 3 | Royals 2

Now THAT is the way the "one-runners" are supposed to go :-)

AP Photo/Ed Zurga

Whodathunk?
Zack, not surprisingly, had a shutout through 7 innings (that would be 29 scoreless innings in-a-row vs. the M's).  The good news is, despite no runs or walks and only 6 hits vs. Zack through seven, the M's were able to get his pitch count up and get him out of the game - so they could go to work vs. the Royals pen.

Crazy 8!
You know what?  Sometimes a little luck is all it takes to spark things.  In the 8th, after Jack struck out, Ichiro got on via a bunt single, Figgy walked, Guti singled and Ichi scored, Jose "doubled" (pitcher deflected a likely DP ball through the hole into centerfield) and Figgy scored, Jr. walked, and Milton walked in a run to give the M's 3-2 lead!  OK it would have been nice to get another run (or four) with the bases loaded and only one out (both Casey and Adam struck out) but, beggars can't be choosers.

Oh, and don't forget "Snel-dini"...
WOW - can't really give Ian enough credit in this game.  He hadn't pitched in NINE days (with the last two starts just before and just after family tragedy, not to mention his physical ailments) and yet he goes out and keeps his team in it.  Things looked VERY bleak in the first inning when he loaded the bases with NOBODY out - but he ESCAPED!  He would allow runners in every inning, but only 2 runs (one in the 4th, one in the 5th) and would leave with two on, one out in the 6th.

And then the pen...
You know - the one we all know and love
(not that silly impostor that appeared for 3 days in Chicago)

Mark = one-two-three

DA = out, hit, DP, case CLOSED

Y-aY!!!