g80 | Braves braver...

Mariners 4 | Braves 5

Unfortunately, I missed some of the good stuff...
Like Ichiro's first homer of the season on the first pitch of the game!
And, a Jack Cust RBI double and solo shot in his first start, in like, forever!

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I also missed some bad stuff...
Like the M's leaving the bases loaded in the 2nd - really coulda used a couple more runs.
Miggy out with leg cramps (after a double and a run scored)
Justin's error that allowed a run to score.

I was catching up on the box score as I settled down on the couch for the bottom of the 7th...
It seemed that Michael had pretty much cruised through the first six innings.  He allowed a couple of walks but the only run was a solo shot by Uggla and, talk about efficiency!  He had only thrown 66 pitches going into the 7th ~and no wonder~ he retired EIGHT different batters on ONE pitch (and one of those was a double-play!).  Unfortunately, he lost command, control and everything else in the 7th when he walked the first two batters, struck out the third out and then walked the fourth to load the bases.  His pitch count was up to 90 and he was out of the game.

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Aaron would come into extremely hot water...
and got burned.  He allowed and RBI single, got a strikeout and then a 2 RBI single. Braves up 5-3

David entered and got a ground ball out to end the inning.

Bottom 7 runners at 1B and 2B with one out and Justin at the plate...
a double steal attempt half fails - Ichrio gets to 3B but Adam is thrown out at 2B and Justin ends up walking.  Dustin comes through with an RBI single to score Ichiro but then the threat dies when Chris strikes out - after a bunt attempt? (after the game, we found out he had somehow strained his oblique in batting practice today - wow, talk about toughing it out!).

In the 8th...
David hit Uggla and allowed a single but was able to get out of it with no damage but, the M's were retired in order.

Things got dicey for Jamey in the top of the 9th...
after a ground out to the first batter, he allowed a walk and a single.  But then, shades of Ichiro's early years, a fly ball to shallow right is caught and thrown and caught at the plate to complete the double-play!

And oh-so-close...
Ichiro strikes out to lead off but, Brendan notches a base hit and gets to 2B on a wild pitch.  Alas, Adam and Justin aren't able to come through.

Not a total heart-breaker (like the 5-6 loss in Washington) but disappointing nonetheless.  A lot of good, but a lot of frustration as well.


Here's to salvaging a game with the King holding court tomorrow.