g86 | Series win and back to .500!

Mariners 4 | Athletics 2 (in 10)

I didn't see much of the game...
Just missed Dustin's lead-off home run in the 7th that gave the M's the 2-1 lead and, apparently, Dustin was responsible for the first run as well - he singled, stole 2B, took 3B on an error and scored on Carlos's sac-fly in the 2nd.

AP PHOTO

Seems there was some base-running excitement (from both sides!)

-stolen bases by Dustin and both Suzukis

-attempted thievery thwarted (K Suzuki, Weeks, Crisp)

And, despite the usual severe lack of O (although Cahill is no chump) all was seemingly going well, with Felix looking like his All-Star, Cy Young self...
8.0IP - 4H - 1ER - 0BB - 10K
shame, shame, shame that he did not get the win.

Talk about the perfect 1000 words... (and this was even before the 9th)

Getty Images

Brandon had a bit of a set-back...
he had not allowed a run and had gond 14 for 14 in save opportunities in his last 20 appearances.  Well, even Mariano blows one now and then.  If only the offense could have provided just a bit more cushion, the A's run in the 9th would have been moot.

But what a recovery in the top of the 10th!
Guti, who had been 0 for 3 to that point, led off with a single (which Wedge would later categorize as his "best AB so far this season") and stole second.  Halman struck out and Ichiro was intentionally walked.  Brendan hit a ground ball to 2b, but Ichiro went in sliding and broke up the DP - Brendon was safe at 1B and Guti scored the go-ahead run.  And then Adam, who was also 0 for 3 so far, doubled in Brendan to give the M's a 4-2 cushion.

Getty Images

And then Jamey locked down the bottom of the 10th... 
The first pitch was a bunt attempt that Adam made a nice charging play on.  Then, FINALLY, Kurt Suzuki was retired (on a GB to SS) and then Sweeney struck out.

And so...
-Felix gets the ND
-Brandon gets the BS (and the W, which I'll never understand)
-Jamey gets the first S of his big league careen (hard to believe after 16 years!)

And, the Mariners are back to .500 and still 2.5 back of both the Rangers and the Halos!


By the way, though it's not a LARGE contingent, the King's Court apparently travels...

via Shannon Drayer's twitpic