g151 | slugfest at the Safe...

Mariners 6 | Rangers 7

't was looking pretty good in the bottom of the second...
when the M's took a 4-1 lead via three singles (Adam, Brendan and Ichiro) a walk (Saunders) and a double (Seager).  But, the Rangers came roaring right back to tie it up with THREE solo homers in the top of the third.  They would put up another three-spot in the top of the fourth via three singles and a walk to take a 7-4 lead.  Mike Carp hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to get the M's to within one - but that would be the final score.

Not sure Anthony Vasquez had a chance in this one...
he looked pretty good the first couple of innings but, you just can't keep these guys down for long (amazing that the M's were able to shut them out last night).  Hopefully, Anthony learned some valuable lessons from his short outing.

As for the bullpen...
Jeff wasn't too sharp, but gave them some innings.  Then Cesar, Chance and Jamey combined for 3.2 scoreless ... not too shabby.

Trayvon made an AWESOME catch, going into the stands in LF...

Apparently, going into this game, the M's have NEVER gotten a hit off Neftali Feliz...
And, they still don't.

As an aside...
It was kinda cool when the M's fans cheered every time there were fireworks going off next door at Century Link Field - they knew it meant goooooooooooooooallll!!!!!!

After the M's game, I went across the street to cheer for the men in rave green.  Apparently, they didn't need my cheering, as I got there just as the second half was starting and before I got to my seat there was another goal (3-nil Sounders at that point - which would end up being the final).

g144 | "M's offense"and "offensive explosion" in the same sentence!!!

Mariners 7 | Royals 3

These are NOT your father's Mariners...
~ What a night for Miggy! 3 hits and 2 RBI left him just a single away from the cycle!
~ Ichiro with four more hits (including another homer) leaving him now 33 hits shy of 200
~ Justin with three more hits and two RBI
~ Alex Liddi had his first major league hit ... a ringing double to left field

Blake seeming to take Doug Fister's place as the "Houdini" of the M's...
Thankfully, NOT as the recipient of lower than low run support though.  Blake has shown a propensity to get in all kinds of hot water in the first inning ~ whether it be an extremely high pitch count or actually runs allowed ~ and then to make the needed adjustments to right the ship.  Tonight was no different.  He had allowed two runs via a homer, a triple, two singles by the time I had made my way to my seat in the first inning.  But, after allowing a lead off single in the second, he retired 13-in-a-row and made it into the 7th allowing a triple and a single for another run - but, left with the lead and would get the eventual win.

Nice to see Shawn Kelley back!  
He and Jamey combined for 2.2 scoreless with three strikeouts

This game had plenty of great DEE...

• Trayvon with a great diving catch
• Justin with a super snag of a foul pop-up right at the tarp on the 1B line
• Casper with a home-run robbing leap in left field

And, on the other side - Dustin hit the ball HARD three times but was robbed each time, including twice by Francoeur - once of a homer and once of at least a double

g142 | Williams bested Furbush ... DEE bested OH

Mariners 1 | Angels 3

Charlie Furbush's best major league start to date ends in defeat...
Charlie held the Halos scoreless through seven innings on only three hits (a double and two singles) and no walks. Then, things fell apart for him in the 8th as he allowed a single, a walk and a two-run double and relinquished the mound to Tom W, who allowed the inherited runner to score - giving the Halos the 3-1 advantage at the time that would be the final score.

Charlie's performance in the first seven innings vs. a team fighting for their playoff lives was nothing short of impressive.  Hopefully, his performance in the 8th will serve as a valuable learning experience.

Tip o' the cap to Jerome Williams..
The M's scored first on the 6th inning home run by Trayvon Robinson but, that was the ONLY hit Williams allowed through eight innings. Then, Walden shut the door in a 1-2-3 9th

g140 | What doesn't bode well for a win? FIVE errors, that's what!!!

Mariners 3 | Angels 7

I won't waste too much space talking about this one - definitely one of the ugliest games all season...
If only scoring THREE runs on ELEVEN hits was abysmal, then committing FIVE errors was atrocious.

According to the box score, only one of the SEVEN runs that Vasquez gave up was UNearned but, it sure seemed like more.  The bullpen put up 2.1 scoreless despite two of the errors committed during their stint.

All the rooks got their requisite 1-2 hits (they were a combined 8/19)


Onward and upward.

g139 | swept away ... again

Mariners 5 | Athletics 8

Early in the season, the offense would have KILLED for 10 hits and five runs - 't wasn't enough today.

Blake Beavan was far from on, throwing a ton of pitches (101) and allowing way too many walks (3) for only five innings.  Josh Lueke, after a 1-2-3 sixth, was given a chance to get himself out of trouble in the seventh, and failed - miserably (giving up 4 runs).  Brandon League came in for some much needed work, allowed a single but, no walks or runs and his ERA dropped below 3.

The offense was a bit jekyll and hyde today....

The Good
~5 runs on 10 hits, including 4 for extra bases (doubles by Mike, Trayvon) and a homer for Dustin
~two-hit games from Ichiro, Guti, Dustin, Justin and Kyle
~stolen base by Ichiro

Getty Images

Getty Images

Getty Images

The Bad
~TWO for ELEVEN with RISP (including twice with the bases loaded, once with only one out)

The Ugly
~Wells was hit by a pitch on the elbow and had to leave the game (x-rays negative, day-to-day)
~Guti pulled an oblique on a pitch in the 8th (and this one looks/sounds serious)


Not to say that without the injuries that the M's would have pulled it off but, you always wonder.
In any case, good job by the young bats who were a combined 8/20 with four of the five runs, two RBI and two walks.

g136 | splittin' in Seattle

Mariners 3 | Angels 4

I have a feeling this series was a lot more difficult than the Halos expected it to be...
not that we should be satisfied with "moral victories" but, the way this young team faced up vs. a team right in the thick of the playoff hunt was admirable, if not impressive.

Tonight, Charlie struggled in the early innings (3-0 after one, 4-0 by mid-three) and he seemed not long for the mound. Then, showed some perseverance by hanging in their and giving the team a chance.  The team looked like it was going to give him a chance in the third when they scored three to get within one.

But, little did we know, that the game would be decided by that third inning.  There were PLENTY of opportunities - Santana walked SEVEN and the M's had the bases loaded with one out and failed to score (Carp hit into a DP).  should, woulda, coulda

Nice to see Jamey save the pen (this was their 7th game of 20-in-a-row) with three SCORELESS - no walks and three K's

Ichiro with another couple of hits (needs 44 for 200)

Happy 24th Birthday, Trayvon!

g127 | DH1 - beleaguered League

Mariners 5 | Indians 7

shhhhhucks!

Blake definitely kept 'em in it, with yet another quality start (which 7 of his 9 big league starts have been).
He struggled big time vs. the Red Sox and the Blue Jays but, pitched very well in all his other starts.

Trayvon and Kyle went a combined 5/8 with 2 runs scored and 2 runs battted in and it was a back and forth game right up until the bitter end - when Brandon pitched forth and Choo went back, back, back, back!


And all this after a 5.9 magnitude earthquake that was centered in Virginia but felt from North Carolina to New York.

g123 | sad Felix day...

Mariners 2 | Rays 3

I didn't see the game (or even a replay) but heard that a couple of the Rays seven "hits" could have easily been scored errors.  Heartbreak, once again, for Felix.  But, as usual, he takes it in stride all in stride...
8IP - 7H - 3ER - 3BB - 9K

~Mike extended his streak to 18...
~Kyle hammered his first major league homer...
~Trayvon had a double....

BUT, M's were 0-FIVE w/RISP

g121 | who says Safeco Field plays big?

Mariners 7 | Blue Jays 13

Things were looking pretty bleak by the end of the first inning, Jason having given up SIX runs.  But, the boys in navy and teal would put up a bit of a fight and tie it up by the end of the third...
~Mike extended his hitting streak to SEVENTEEN
~Trayvon and Kyle both checked in with 2 hits and 2 RBI
~Casper with ANOTHER homer (his FOURTH in as many games) coming before Miggy's in the 2nd

But, after Jason's early departure, his initial contingent of relief (Wilhelmsen and Laffey) didn't fair much better, combining to give up FIVE runs on FIVE hits.  The real killer for the entire pitching staff was the walks ... SIX of the SEVEN walks scored ~ precisely the difference in the score.

Lost a bit amid the home run barrage was Lueke's appearance...

he only gave up THREE hits in THREE scoreless innings

g112 | what's this? a win in Anaheim?!?

Mariners 5 | Angels 1

While I was at the wedding and reception for a dear, longtime friend, it sounds as if I missed one of the better games of the season.  According to the box score and the highlights...

Blake was super stellar...
EIGHT innings pitched - 103 pitches - EIGHT hits - ONE earned run - ZERO walks
That was good enough for his SIXTH straight quality start to begin his major league career, as well as THIRD victory.

Getty Images

't wasn't a save situation...
but Brandon came for the NINTH - recording a fly out, a walk and a DP

And, whadaya know?  the offense clicked a bit...
only eight hits but, four were for extra bases - and it started early.  Adam hit a two-RBI double in the 1st inning to score Ichiro and Dustin.  Mike had his double in the 3rd, scoring Jack (who was subbing for Brendan - sore shoulder).  After Adam was hit by a pitch, Miggy singled to drive in Mike.  And then in the 7th, Trayvon collected his only hit of the night - a solo shot to center for his first major league home run.

Getty Images

g111 | pitching and catching...

Mariners 0 | Angels 1 (10)

Missed most of the game, as I was at "the race track" with "the girls"...  
As impotent as both the M's and the Halos offenses were tonight - my betting was even moreso ;-)

Weaver was on.  What else is new?
Certainly not a great match up to an M's offense that has struggled so mightily all season - and then the get to face the best pitcher in the AL - and just when they were starting to put something together (26 hits and 19 runs in the series sweep of the A's).

At least it was good to see Jason bounce back a bit after some extremely rough starts of late...
He was solid through six, scattering seven hits and walking only one - he was also able to escape when necessary.  Aaron, Jamey and Josh combined for three scoreless innings, surrendering only one hit and one walk.  Dan had no fun in the 10th - giving up a single to Hunter, who then advanced on a wild pitch (Wedge non too happey about the "crossed up" situation) and scored the winning, and only, run of the game on Well's single (outside, practically in the dirt).

Sounds like base-running was more than bit of an issue for the M's tonight...
Ichiro picked off 1B, Mike thrown out trying to steal 2B, Casper caught off 3B - argh!!

But hey, there's (ANOTHER) new kid in town...
Welcome to the bigs, Trayvon Robinson!  He struck out in his first AB and collected his first major league hit in his second AB - a solid single to left - off Jered Weaver, no less.  But, what he will be remembered for is his thievery of Torii Hunter - what a  catch!

AP PHOTO