Rosy OOO | Cruisin' to Alaska

Rosy will be out of office for a week ...

Taking an Alaskan cruise on the Golden Princess!

Departing from Pier 91 in Seattle today at 4pm and returning next Saturday morning.

The forecast doesn't look too great ... 

mid-50's and rainy in most of the ports - but we will make the best of it and "Escape Completely" (as the Princess ads say ;-)

The cruise is a "combo-celebration of our 27th wedding anniversary and our son's 16th birthday.

Happy, Happy to us!!

g126 & 127 | splittin' the double-dip

Mariners 3 | Red Sox 5

Mariners 4 | Red Sox 2

The M's won the game in which they committed 2 errors (Josh) and hit 5 doubles (Russell, Jose, Tui, Casey and Josh) and lost the game in which they hit 2 home runs (Russell and Casey) and played clean in the drizzle.

Pauley was great in the first game through 5 innings....
only 2 hits and no runs, but fell apart in the 6th.

Felix was FAB ~ as usual....
he recorded his 1000th career strikeout (vs. Big Papi, no less) and finally reached double digits in the win column (something that would have occurred MONTHS ago, had he received anything resembling run support).

They finish up the 4-city east coast road trip at 6-6

g125 | Mr. Fister and the D

Mariners 3 | Red Sox 6


or lack thereof.

Ryan's unfortunate error in the 5th led to three unearned runs.
Though I didn't see it, sounds like it was a pretty sloppy game all 'round.

Looks like things are pretty sloppy still....

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

Day night double-header tomorrow.

g124 | can we just skip this one

Mariners 0 | Yankees 10

I really don't have the energy to recap because...
I had a very busy day preparing for a family dinner (which was fun and worth the prep).
But, I also have a cold.
And, the game was a stinker.

nuf said.

Here's hoping for better results in Boston.

g123 | what a difference a day makes

Mariners 4 | Yankees 9

And it definitely wasn't Jason Vargas's day...
It was the "bookends" that were tough ~ he threw 27 pitches and gave up 4 runs in the 1st and ran out of gas in the 7th ~ but the middle innings were quite a sight to behold ... from the 2nd through the 6th he only allowed one single to the 15th batter he faced.  Needless to say, I was quite impressed with how he settled down and mowed 'em down.  Jason is one cool cucumber, no matter the situation or opponent.

Now, as for his relief...
I think there may have been better options than Jamey Wright with runners at 1st and 3rd with one out in a tie game - but that's just me.

Who are these guys and what have you done with the "light" hitting Mariners?!?
M's have now hit TEN homers in their last FIVE games.  Ichiro hit TWO homers in this game!  Now, the fact that Russell hit a moonshot was not surprising (he always hit's 'em high) but this one was epic - supposedly the longest homer ever in the "new" Yankee Stadium - the first ever in the 4th deck (see just how high here)

Unfortunately, as exciting as the power surge was, 't wasn't enough to garner a win.

Oh, and Casey's "errorless streak" was broken.

Rubber game of the match tomorrow ~ CC vs. Luke

g122 | who's your daddy?

Mariners 6 | Yankees 0

Felix is definitely the answer the Yanks will give when asked that question.
He nearly pitched his FOURTH complete game in a row against them tonight, going EIGHT shutout innings allowing only FOUR hits and recording ELEVEN strikeouts.

BILL KOSTROUN / AP

And, lookie here...

RUN SUPPORT!!!

Russell provided all that would be needed with his THREE-run homer in the first but, he would later hit another blast for good measure (his always measure well ;-)   Ichiro and Casey also added to the score and every Mariner hitter recorded at least one hit ('cept Lopey)

BILL KOSTROUN / AP

g121 | and Tui does it again - at the plate AND in the field

Mariners 6 | Orioles 5

on the mound...
David P struggled in the first, giving up two runs but then settled into a nice groove in which he would stay until the 7th when he gave up another couple runs.  Jamey came in and got out of the 7th without further damage but, unfortunately, the 8th wasn't such a good story.  Sean and David A came in and locked things down nicely though.

at the plate...
three doubles, a home run a sac-fly - life is good  - 'specially for Tui who hit his second 3-run homer in as many games

leather-works...
and how about that catch?!?

“I don’t make that catch and a run scores. It was definitely a thrill,” Tuiasosopo said.

4 series in-a-row.  But who's counting.

g120 | The Luke and Tui Show

Mariners 4 | Orioles 0

Quality start by Luke...
only three hits and the first one not till one out in the 6th

All four runs driven in by Tui...
double in the 5th to score Adam Moore and homer in the 9th with Guti and Casey aboard.

Are we seeing the the beginnings of young talent coming to fruition?

't will be an interesting last few weeks...
Here's hoping we will get a chance to see what the youngsters can do so the needs can be properly assessed going into the winter.

g119 | yet another loss in extries...

Mariners 4 | Orioles 5

M's tie it up 3-3 with back-to-backers in the 3rd inning (Russell and Jose) and it would stay that way till Adam Moore homered in the 10th, but the O's would tie it right back up when Adam Jones scored on a bases-loaded walk by Julio Lugo (off David, who really struggled ... too much work lately?) and then Adam Jones would break the tie in the 11th with a squeeze bunt.

So, apparently, the TWELVE left on base was more significant to the outcome than the THREE homers.

*sigh*


On a happier note, I received a lovely, unexpected gift today...
A signed and framed panoramic photo of "First Pitch" at Safeco Field.  I was there all those years ago and now, thanks to a generous friend, I have a memento to cherish.  I'm taking it as a good omen for things to come in the future :-)

g118 | errors are bad

Mariners 1 | Indians 9

'specially when they lead to SIX UNearned runs :-(
Figgy bobbled a ball, recovered, but made a bad throw to Casey that pulled him off the bag and the runner was safe - should have been the third out.  Then a single, a double an intentional walk and a grand slam made the score 6-zip.  Until that inning, Felix had only given up 2 hits (a double in the 5th and a single in the 6th).  Sean White came in and gave up a couple more hits, including a solo shot.  Chris came in the 8th and gave up a 2-run shot making it 9-1 at the time and there it would stay.

Kudos to Mr. Masterson and the rest of the Tribe staff that held the M's bats to 3 hits and 1 run despite allowing SEVEN walks.

First of a four east coast city trip complete - now they head to Baltimore...