To start off the week, the Mariners faced the Oakland Athletics at home. Nicaraguan Erasmo Ramirez started off the series striking out 10 in Game 1, but sadly he didn’t get the win. The Athletics hit a home run in the 2nd inning, which was the winning run of the ball game. The next outing, a Mariners starter would again strike out 10 (it’s the first time 2 Mariners have gone back-to-back with 10 strikeouts since 1999). This time, it would be Jason Vargas. But with the game still tied going into the 8th after Vargas came out, the win went to relief pitching. In the bottom of the 8th, with the score tied at 2, Casper Wells led off the inning with a base hit single to left field. He then stole second as Dustin Ackley struck out, and hustled home on Brendan Ryan’s base hit to right field. The final score of the game was 3-2, Brendan Ryan, the hero of the game, said he was just “glad it worked out. I was just happy to see the ball hit some grass.”
Despite outhitting the A’s 4-2 in Game 3, the game went to Oakland, as those two hits were power balls—home runs. The Mariners had one as well, from John Jaso, but it wasn’t enough, and the Mariners lost, 2-1.
In the second half of the week, the Mariners split with the Red Sox an even 2-2. Two of the games went into extra innings, and 3 of them were won on the last pitch. Exciting stuff. In Game 1, Felix pitched, tying his career high with 13 strikeouts and shutting out the Boston lineup a full 9 innings. John Jaso was again the hero in Game 1, as he hit the game-winning RBI to score Casper Wells, who started off the bottom of the 9th with a double. Jaso came in to pinch hit for Miguel Olivo, as he has been so dependable in clutch situations this year for the Mariners. Eric Wedge had full confidence in him. Jaso said he went up there in “swing mode” and it worked out for him.
The whole team agreed that the win first and foremost, though, went to Felix, who “pitched his tail end off,” as Casper Wells would say. “That was an unbelievable performance to watch.”
Eric Wedge referred to his outing as, “a warrior performance,” saying that his strength, work ethic, and experience were why he was kept in the entire game. In his last 3 starts, Felix has given up just 2 runs and 17 hits over the span of 23 innings. As Felix struck out 10 in his last outing against the Padres, it was the first time he has ever gone back-to-back with double digit strikeout performances. Critics are saying that he’s keeping the ball down, throwing great breaking balls, and “that his fast ball has more life right now.” It just goes to show why he’s been chosen a third time to be an American League All-Star.
In Game 2, it was certainly a different story, as the Mariners stunk up the joint. In Skipper Wedge’s opinion, “We were horrible tonight. Just brutal.” The Mariners were shutout in this game; the team only had 3 baserunners all night, and none of them ever advanced past 1st base.
Still, the manager was faintly optimistic: “We’ll find it. It’s my job to make sure we find it.” The Red Sox clearly had solved Safeco Friday night as they hit 4 home runs in the game, 2 of them being back-to-back to start off the 5th inning—this is probably the most embarrassing thing that can happen when on defense.
Despite the loss, Game 3 was a real victory for the Mariners, as they went 10 long innings. The game-winning RBI came from utility player Chone Figgins who was in left field for the night. The team piled atop of him in congratulations. In similar fashion (both Game 3 and 4 lasted 10 innings), Game 4 went to the Red Sox—final score, 2-1. For Boston, David Ortiz was the hero.
At the season’s halfway point, the Mariners are now 34-47. They will face the Orioles at home and Athletics away, before taking their All-Star break.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
