After a glorious Spring day yesterday (70 degrees!) we were back to drizzle  and 50 today (thank goodness for Safeco Field’s roof!). So, while it was quite soggy traveling to and fro, it was perfectly dry in-between. And, who wouldn’t take an awesome WIN over  beautiful WEATHER any day?!?

Mariners 5 | Angels 3

ONE THE MOUND
From rocky road to smooth sailing to ohhh no!
James recorded the first out on THREE pitches (a ground out) and then, before you could blink, a single and back-to-back homers (Pujols and Freese) had the Halos up 3-0 (with only ONE out). But, those would be their only hits until the 6th and their only runs for the entire game, as James pretty much “reclined” after the second homer retired FOURTEEN in-a-row! Unfortunately, after allowing a lead-off single in the 6th he left the game with (what we would hear later) a strained lat. MRI coming tomorrow ~ thoughts and prayers that it’s not serious. His final line . . .
FIVE innings ~ FOUR hits ~ THREE earned runs ~ ZERO walks ~ FOUR strikeouts

The bullpen was interesting at times but, managed to combine for . . . .
FOUR innings ~ ZERO hits ~ ZERO runs ~ FOUR walks ~ FIVE strikeouts
} Yourvis entered the game with a runner on 1B in the 6th. And, while the end result of his inning was great it took
F  O   R   E   V   E    R    to get there as he took an eternity between pitches and occasionally tossed over to 1B. Eventually, he struck out Trout, walked Pujols and got Freese to hit into a (very pretty!) double play. I don’t remember him being that frustratingly slow to work last season – maybe I blocked it out.
} Danny pitched 1.2 innings allowing NO hits, ONE walk and ONE strikeout
} Tom came in for the last out of the 8th – Trout – and struck him OUT
} Fernando decided to make things a little to interesting in the 9th when he walked the first TWO batters (argh!!) but, after Lloyd (and the ENTIRE infield) paid a little visit to the mound – struck out the next TWO and recorded a fly out to end the GAME, earn the SAVE and record the WIN (and yes – “shoot the bow”)

AT THE PLATE
Only EIGHT total hits but . . .
~ TWO were doubles (Kyle and Justin)
~ TWO were homers – BOTH by Corey (good for FOUR of the FIVE RBI)
~ FIVE walks – THREE by Kyle  (he’s gotta get on base some how, some way – though I think everyone knows will come ’round soon)

IN THE FIELD
Solid night in the field all ’round . . .
* no circuitous routes in the OF and, in fact, MULTIPLE, nice running catches by both Dustin AND Stefen
* sweet SMOTHER by Kyle on a smash liner down the line that he then tossed to Justin for the out
* Justin just continues his (IMO) very under-rated play at 1B
* Robbie is just.so.smooth.

quote of the game . . .
Lloyd upon being asked what he said to Rodney when he went out to the mound in the 9th

“I can’t even tell you.”

I’m guessing it wasn’t language suitable for radio – funny thing though, Fernando went from 92 to 98 after the “language”  😉

tweets of the game . . .

my photos of the game . . .