g106 | combined one-hitter = WIN!

Mariners 3 | Rays 2

Now THIS is how the Mariners were winning early on!
The lack of offense is so much less frustrating when the pitching is of the shut-down variety, as opposed to the melt-down kind.

Michael had a no-hitter going through 5.2 innings...
when a single scored a runner who had reached base via a hit-by-pitch.  He struck out the first batter in the 6th and was lifted by Wedge after allowing back-to-back walks.  He had 10 strikeouts (a career high) and you can watch them here.

Good to see Jeff Gray come in...
and retire all five batters he faced (including two swinging strikeouts)

A rare Brandon League siting....
And, in an actual save opportunity!  (his last save was July 4th)  And he made good on it - retired the side in order for his 24th save of the season.

Now, to the offense ~ 't was the Ackley and Carp show!
-Dustin with a 2-run homer in the 1st, scoring Ichiro
-Mike with an RBI single in the 6th, scoring Dustin, who had doubled in front of him

There was actually some stat that I heard in one ear on the radio about the first time in a bazillion years (technical sabre metric term) that a rookie pitcher has struck out 10 in a win where his only run support was provided by fellow rookies.  Anyhoo - I'm thinking it bodes well for the future to see some of the young ones excelling.