g52 | game loss, series win, back to .500

Mariners 1 | Yankees 7

Before it started, I told myself I'd be really happy if the M's took the series...
Two of three from the most potent offense in the league would be a good goal - it would also mean a .500 record - something the M's haven't seen this 'late' in the season for a very long time (2007, if I'm not mistaken).  So, that's what they got and I'm happy with that.

Doesn't mean I didn't get a little greedy and stuff a small broom in my bag before I headed out to the ballpark today but, the sweep was not to be.

Jason was had an off day, to put it kindly...  82P - 3IP - 5H - 6ER - 1K - 4BB
You could almost sense it early on, even though was able to get through the first two innings giving up only the solo homer (we've seen that movie before in this series) but he was throwing SO many pitches and working SO deliberately, instead of his usually fairly brisk pace.  Almost makes you wonder if he and Chris weren't on the same page (Miggy wasn't playing due to the double-whammy of day-game-after-a-night-game and resting his poor face from the beating it took at 1B yesterday)

AP PHOTO

Unfortunately, CC was on so that didn't much make for a winning combination.

There were a few positives

Gray and Ray...
the bullpen guys who don't get much work (due to the uber-effectiveness of Laffey-Wright-Pauley) got to showcase their wares a bit today and, did pretty well.  Gray and Ray combined for six innings and gave up SIX hits, ONE walk and ONE run.

Brendan HOT Ryan...
ran his hitting streak to NINE games with a single a double and a walk today.

Justin SMOAK...
finally smoked one - first since May 13th in Cleveland.  Hopefully, this will get him going again.

Wilson and Wilson...
Mike and Jack were both in the starting lineup today and each recorded a hit

Strong D ...
two double plays - and not your garden variety ones either - one was a strike 'em out throw 'em out.  The other was an flyout and then an outfield assist to Ichiro who doubled Jeter off 1B

The not so positive news

Continued struggles for Ichiro and Chone...
Seems most believe Ichi will turn things around but, most are highly doubtful about Figgy - they are clamoring for him to be moved down in the order.  Frankly, I'd like to see both - sit for a couple of days and then return to the lineup in #8 or #9

Wedge has shown reluctance to do this, maybe due to the trickle-down effect it could have.  But, it's got to be hard to be running Figgy out there night after night when all that changes is his average - for the worse.

Next up: O's for 3

g45 | Michael, you are spoiling us...

Mariners 4 | Padres 0

"Today is a big day for me." -Michael Pineda

Yes, it was, Michael.  Yes it was...  
One of these days, you may struggle but, until then, we'll continue to feel pretty confident on
Diabolical Day = 99P - 7IP - 2H - 0ER - 1BB - 9K

The Padres were Pineda'd...
Michael retired the side in order four times and struck out the side in his last inning.

AP PHOTO

Bully, bully...

David also struck out the side in his one inning of work - the 8th

Jamey made things a bit interesting in the 9th, after striking out his first batter, he allowed two singles, but then got a fly out and a ground out and that would be the ballgame.

The offense, while not flashy, got things done...  
There were three doubles (including Mike Wilson's first major league extra base hit) but there was also a sac-fly (Jack W), a first to third that would later score (Brendan) and opportunity taken when Jack W scored on a bad pick off attempt at 3B by the catcher.  Those good, old fundamentals (like I was talking about in the previous post) execute like that behind pitching like this and more often than not it will result in a W

AP PHOTO

Wilson and Wilson...
Jack and Mike (FINALLY, a start!) combined to go 4-7 with three RBI and one run scored.

Guti comin' 'round...
he had his first hit since coming off the DL and he scored a run.

Ichi off the schnide...
snapped and 0-10 with a solid single

One other little note...
I've liked Brendon Ryan since day one.  Yeah, he's not exactly lighting it up with the bat (though he had a great night tonight) and he can be frustrating on D at times (making awesome plays and then booting routine ones) but he is very accountable and always positive.  Shannon passed along a little nugget on the post game show that, as a fan, I really appreciated.  Apparently, well after our game ended, Brendan was sitting in the clubhouse, still in full uniform, watching the Angels / Braves game.  And, as I type this is just went final.  I can just envision him cheering :-)

g38 | spittin' bristles in Baltimore

looks like posts have been restored and blogger is back in business.  Just in time for continuing bad news for the M's...

Mariners 1 | Orioles 2

Jason VARGAS was SPECTACULAR ~ 101P - 9IP - 7H - ZERO ER -1BB - 4K

So was Zach Britton ~ 108P - 9IP - 3H - ZERO ER - 0BB - 5K

The game went TWELVE innings 

There were a total of FIFTEEN hits - all SINGLES

The M’s turned FOUR double plays

It was a SCORELESS tie UNTIL Miggy’s RBI single in the TOP of the 12th

WRIGHT was great in his TWO scoreless innings of relief

Both WILSONS, Michael and Luis all made AWESOME catches

Yep - it’s all fun and games until somebody gets hit with the baseball, and then another somebody gets hit with the baseball and then another somebody hits the baseball and two runs score (the tying one, and the winning one) and that’s how Brandon blew his second consecutive save.  But hey, even Mo has blown two saves in a row this season.

g36 | great game, tough loss

Mariners 6 | Orioles 7

This is the kind of game that would have been exhilarating to win and it was pretty crushing to lose.  I was only able to watch the last (13th) inning but heard other bits and pieces on the radio.  There were SIX lead changes and THREE plays at the plate (tow O's - one in the 9th and one in the 13th and one M, in the 12th)

First of all, congratulations to Mike Wilson!  
He entered his first big league game as a pinch hitter in the 7th.  He popped up and then struck out in his first two AB's but then made an awesome throw to get a runner at the plate in the 9th that kept the game tied at FIVE.  In the top of the 13th his first major league hit would also be his first major league RBI - a broken bat single (and yes - he got both the ball AND the broken bat to send home to mom to put in the trophy case).

AP PHOTO

The "other" Michael had a nice outing ~ 6IP - 7H - 3ER - 1BB - 6K  
The M's were trailing 2-3 when he exited after the 6th having thrown 100 pitches - 72 for strikes and 21 of 26 first pitch strikes.

The bullpen had their ups and downs...

• The ups:  Pauley, Laffey and Ray combined for five innings, six hits, four walks, four strikeouts and NO runs (including a bases-loaded strikeout from, Chris Ray!).
• The downs:  Wright and League each, uncharacteristically, giving up two runs and Brandon recorded his first blown save of the season.

Granted SIX runs in THIRTEEN innings isn't a ton, but...

• Michael finally broke through w/ TWO hits (breaking an 0'fer 26) and he scored TWO runs.
• Jack Cust also had TWO hits and his customary walk.
• Justin (from his bran-new #3 hole) had an RBI single with two outs to tie the game in the 9th
• In fact, the FOURTEEN hits were distributed evenly up and down the line up with every batter, with the exception of Peguero, recording at least ONE hit, including FOUR doubles and a homer (Adam)

Defensively...

• The play of the game already described above :-)
• There were also TWO double plays
• But there were TWO infield plays (Jack and Brendan) that probably SHOULD have been made that weren't in the 13th

Apparently, there was a bit of a 'dust up'...

After Justin fielded a soft grounder, Pie bumped into him (presumably to try to jar the ball loose).  Justin didn't take kindly to this and the benches briefly cleared.  A couple of tweets on the topic...

StoneLarry Larry Stone  Benches clear after Felix Pie rams into Smoak, who was holding the ball after fielding a slow grounder up line. Order was quickly restored.

TheDA53 David aardsma #felixpie you don't want a piece of #smoke = you lose