Mariners 9, Padres 2

Manager Jim Riggleman can finally smile today.  His team put together a full series for the first time this season, winning games with different phases shining through.  Today, unlike the first two games, the Mariners brought the bats..  They raked out 18 hits while scoring 8 runs in the final three innings for a 9-2 series ending sweep over the Padres at Petco.

Erik Bedard (5-4) went five and two thirds innings, allowing only one run on three hits, and striking out 3.  Ichiro Suzuki scored the first run of the game in the 3rd inning on an RBI single by Raul Ibanez to open the scoring.   Ichiro finished the day with a 5 for 5 performance at the plate which ties him for second all time in five hit games with 7 behind Dave Winfield’s 9.  Later in the 6th inning,  Adrian Beltre stayed hot hitting a towering blast into the second level balcony for his 15th home run of the season, a two run shot off starter Jake Peavy (L 5-5) two make it 3-0.

The Padres got one back on an Edgar Gonzalez sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning, but in the top of the seventh the Mariners put the Padres away.

The Padres replaced Peavy with reliever Bryan Corey to start the seventh inning.  As fast as i wrote that sentence Corey was replaced.  He allowed four straight hits as Ichiro led it off with a single, followed by a Jose Lopez single.  Ibanez singled scoring Ichiro, and then Jose Vidro singled scoring Lopez.  Out Bryan Corey, In Carlos Guevara.  Same result as Betre singled scoring Ibanez, and Jeremy Reed singled to center field scoring Vidro and Beltre. And just like that 6 straight hits, all singles, and the it was 8-2.  Jeff Clement hit his second homer of the season in the 9th to round out the scoring.  Clement finished the game 2-for-4.

The win marked the teams 6th win in the 9 game interleague roadtrip.  I’m sure it was good for the team mentally to go on the road after all the recent turmoil surrounding the team.  Many of the players are probably wishing they could stay on the road.  However, they must return home to start a series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.  It will be the start of a seven game homestand as they play a three game set with Toronto ending Wednesday, and start a four game series with the Detroit Tigers Friday.  It will be interesting to see if the team can gain some confidence against AL teams after such a strong interleague performance.  Tomorrow night R.A. Dickey (2-3) and Roy Halliday (8-6) are the probables for the 7:10 PT start.

Mariners Blog

Apparently facing the Padres lineup is the perfect remedy for any struggling pitcher.  One night after Jarrod Washburn picked up his first win since May 5th, M’s hurler Carlos Silva picked up his first win in 13 starts. (yes..really..13 starts)

Silva went 7 innings, allowed 8 hits, and struck out 3.  He walked none.  Silva forced alot of grounders, and had solid control throughout the night.  He pitched the type of  game that the Mariners expected from him when they signed him in the offseason from the Twins.  It was his first win since April 17th.

The win marked the teams fourth win in five games, but still gives them the worst record in the majors, 30-50.

Adrian Beltre led the way with 3 hits and 2 RBI’s.  Jose Lopez also added 2 hits, and scored twice.  Jeff Clement added a RBI on a sac fly.  Jeremy Reed also added an RBI.

Cha Seung Baek (1-4), who the Padres picked up from Seattle in May, was yanked in the 6th after allowing 4 straight batters to reach base.  He was responsible for all 4 of the Mariners runs.  Khalil Greene and Edgar Gonzalez each added two hits each for the Padres.  Tony Clark had the teams only two RBI’s adding a pinch hit single off Washburn in the 7th.

Brandon Morrow notched his 4th save, as he continues his dominance.  It was the first time getting back to back saves in his career.  I just can’t see how you can take Bombtrack out of the closer role.

Sunday’s pitching matchup should be a great one.  Erik Bedard (4-4), who missed his start Wednesday with back spasms, is scheduled to start in the series finale on Sunday against Cy Young winner Jake Peavy (5-4).

In another note, the Mariners announced Felix Hernandez will not start Tuesday at home against Toronto.  They said they want to give him more time to rest his ankle injury he suffered against the Mets earlier in the week.

Mariners Blog

The Seattle Mariners started the weekend with a bang with a 10-2 win at Turner Field in interim manager Jim Riggleman’s debut.  Erik Bedard turned in a nice performance until being pulled because of back spasms after three scoreless innings. Bedard isn’t expected to miss much time.

Seattle’s offense matched a season high with 15 hits. Jose Lopez continued his nice first half at the plate with 3 hits, 2 were doubles, and 4 RBI’s. Adrian Beltre added 2 hits and 3 RBI’s

The Bullpen pitched in with a nice peformance relieving Bedard, as Ryan Rowland-Smith picked up the win.

Just as we all got excited about the impressive win, we all got brought back down to earth with the Braves taking game 2 and 3 of the series. The Braves won those two games 5-4, and 8-3 respectively as the offense went back to it dissapearing act.

In game 2, the M’s took the lead to the bottom of the ninth as Miguel Batista blew the save opportunity filling in for the sore Brandon Morrow. Greg Norton hit a key double and eventually scored as Brian McCann singled in the former Mariner for the winning run. The Mariners mustered only 5 hits in the loss.

Game 3 was completely dominated by Mark Teixeira. Tex blasted 3 home runs, 2 off starter Carlos Silva who failed to pick up a victory in his 12th straight start.

Raul Ibanez picked up two hits off Braves starter Tim Hudson and seemed to be the only player with an answer to his stuff. Jeff Clement’s finally got the monkey off his back with a leadoff double in the seventh, and hit his first dinger of the year to center field in the 9th. Willie Bloomquist knocked in the final run with an RBI single late.

The Mariners head to New York for a series with the Mets starting monday. Game 1’s matchup will see Johan Santana against Felix Hernandez. Should be a fantastic matchup.

Mariners Blog

In a game that ironically became the last for manager John McLaren, R.A. Dickey, who McLaren has backed, got roughed up in his second straight start.  R.A. gave up 5 runs, on six hits, 4 walks, and a HR.  It was ultimately decisions like the one to pitch Dickey that ironically summed up his managing style for the Mariners, which too often was sticking with players for too long.  This, along with  lacking the foresight to make key personnel changes,  in the end sealed the fate of the McLaren, Bavasi era.

Mike Jacobs (2 for 5, 3 RBI’s), and Dan Uggla belted big flys for the Marlins.  Hanley Ramirez went 2 for 3 with 3 runs on 3 walks.  21 year old rookie Ryan Tucker (2-1) picked up the win going 6 innings striking out 4, and allowing only 2 runs.

A positive for the Mariners was that they out hit the Fish 13-11.  The negative, as has been for most of the season was the 25 runners left on base, many in key spots.  Recent call up Jeff Clement started at catcher, and picked up where he left off on his last call up striking out twice, but did draw two walks.  Adrian Beltre was 2-5 scoring twice while he picked up his 11th double of the season.  Jose Vidro went 3 for 5 at the dish, and Jeremy Reed continued to swing a nice bat going 2 for 3.

McLaren was fired before the team left for Atlanta.  He will be replaced by Jim Riggleman who was currently on the staff as the teams bench coach.  Lee Elia, who recently took over as hitting coach is now the bench coach.  The remainder of the staff stays in place for the time being.  McLaren’s final record as Mariners skipper was 66-88.  Its going to be very interesting to see what Riggleman does with the lineup after McLaren was so indecisive about putting it together day in and day out.

The M’s head to Atlanta for a game on Friday against the Braves.  That game will start a nine game interleague road trip.  Lets see if getting away on this road trip from the mess that has begun to unravel in Seattle among the Mariners brass can be good for the team going forward.

Mariners Blog

Heavy hitting prospect Jeff Clement will be in uniform tonight to try to add some pop to the anemic Seattle offense.  Wladimir Balentien in turn was optioned to triple A Tacoma.  It is presumed that this move in Balentien’s case is to get him some work in Center Field in the minors and get him back playing everyday again.

Manager John McLaren said that the team plans to work Clement in at Catcher and not have him ride the bench.  McLaren mentioned the team needs an offensive spark, and he hopes Clement will help give him that.

The Mariners outfield situation just got more confusing yesterday with the move of Ichiro Suzuki to right field.  Now it appears we have turned the clock back to 2005 with Jeremy Reed seeing most of the time in Center Field, unless another move is made.

Major moves could be on the horizon, stay tuned.

The Seattle Mariners were finally able to catch a couple of breaks and defeat the Texas Rangers 4-3 as they avoided being swept in the three game series.  A 12th inning single by Miguel Cairo that scored Wladimir Balentien was the winning run for the Mariners.

Jose Lopez, Jeff Clement, Yuniesky Betancourt, and Cairo all had one rbi in the game.

J.J. Putz was the winner in the game as he pitched two innings in relief.  Putz even his record at 1-1 with the win.  Jarrod Washburn earned the save which was his first of the season.  Mariners starting pitcher Carlos Silva tossed 6 1/3 innings while giving up five hits and two runs.  Not too bad of a game for him.  Sean Green was the only relief pitcher to give up a run in the game.

Mariners Blog

The Seattle Mariners have made another round of roster cuts during spring training.  Jeff Clement, Jon Huber, Sean White, and Cesar Jimenez were all optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.

Clement had a shot at making the big league roster had he put up better offensive numbers during spring training.  Instead, he only batted .158 and is on his way back to Triple-A Tacoma rather then staying with the big league team.

Mariners Blog