g2 | I'm loving the new aggression

Mariners 5 | Athletics 2

AP Photo

on the mound
Jason was super solid tonight - shame he didn't qualify for the W
(92 pitches - 6.2 innings - 5 hits - 1 walk - 1 run)

Wright retired the only batter he faced.  Ray struggled in his one inning, giving up a run that tied the game at two and League earned his first save in his first opportunity.

at the plate
It started a bit slow, with the M's stranding a base runner in each of the first four innings and they didn't push across the first run (that tied the game at the time) until the sixth inning when MB got a two-out single and then stole second and Cust singled him home.  Then, in the seventh, a Ryan double, a Wilson single and a Saunders sac-fly gave the M's the lead 2-1.  The A's tied it up in the bottom of the eighth (via Ray's struggles) but then a super fun ninth gave the M's the lead that would last.  Wilson led off with a single, Saunders laid down a sac-bunt, Olivo had a pinch hit single, Ichiro singled Wilson home, then Olivo scored on a wild pitch (Ichiro to second) and Ichiro stole third and scored on Figgy's sac-fly.

Oh by the way ~ Ichiro is now the all-time Mariner hits leader (2248) as his two infield singles tonight tied and then passed Edgar Martinez.

of base paths and leather works
MB and Ichrio each with a stolen base.
Ryan got picked off and caught stealing, but he is quickly gaining my respect.  I'm loving his "D" (totally as advertised, maybe better) and his aggressiveness.  On the post game show he said they were going to "make things happen".  And, so far, they have - both in attitude and in execution.

I liked Ron Fairly's quote on the post game show...
"The Mariners are playing baseball."