I can hear it now . . .
back to the same ol’ M’s, blah, blah, blah.
But, I find it more . . .
ENcouraging that Felix had a solid outing (SIX IP ~ SIX hits ~ THREE runs ~ ONE walk ~ FIVE K’s) against a good (if not GREAT) team
than DIScouraging that our offense couldn’t muster up much – ‘t was Verlander, after all
And – the STREAK is still ALIVE!!!
Thanks, Mitch 🙂
tweets of the game . . .
Well, so much for my regular posting 😦
(my current commute, along with planning my daughter’s wedding – which we are hosting this September – makes for very little time to actually watch/listen to the games, let alone blog about them)
Hard to believe a month of games is already in the books!
Team Leaders | offense . . .
Team Leaders | pitching . . .
NOTE: Starters Mike and Felix each had ONE really bad game, James and Marcos each had TWO bad games and Erasmo has struggled in both of his TWO starts so far . . . hopefully, everyone can continue to stay healthy and get in the groove soon! The bullpen on the other hand – with a few exceptions has been great and Edwin has been other-worldly 🙂
Good tweets . . .
M*A*S*H
injuries seem to have subsided ~ knock on wood!
Surprise, surprise!
Compass Rosy is still around 😉
I’ve definitely been a bad fan by letting too many distractions get in the way of focusing on the Mariners this late Winter/early Spring – but, no more! I”m going to do my best to keep up with our “boys of summer” this season. My commute now requires a ferry ride and does not allow for my to watch complete games on TV (let alone attend in person without special arrangements – like I made in order to attend this one) since I have to arise at 4am every weekday to catch the first boat off the island. But, will do my best to stay engaged and provide thoughts and observations as we go along in 2018 . . .
WELCOME BACK BASEBALL 🙂
Great to be back at Safeco Field for actual Opening Day . . .
I’ve never missed a home opener at Safeco Field – and not about to start now, no matter where I live! Interesting that this is only the second time in the past ten seasons that the M’s actually opened the season at home!
Firsts for the First Game . . .
And then there were the firsts in the first inning . . .
Robbie had the first M’s hit on the first pitch he saw, followed by Nellie who hit it out with no doubt on the first pitch to him.
With the M’s leading 2-1, a bit of frustrating drama in the top of the ninth . . .
Eddie’s first save was anything but boring: he struck out the first batter; then hit the second batter, who later advanced on a balk AND stole 3B; then he hit the third batter; then he struck out the next two.
In between . . .
Felix: 5.1 innings, TWO hits, TWO walks, FOUR K’s
Bullpen: despite Edwin’s drama, that ended well, they are looking good – combined for 3.2 innings, THREE hits (all off Nick) ONE run (Nick) and FOUR K’s
Skipper praised Mike (Marjama – not Mike Zu, who was scratched shortly before the game with an oblique strain 😦 ). Given the unusual circumstances – only his sixth MLB start and the first opening day start of his career, plus getting hit on the hand early in the game. He was able to navigate well through Felix’s innings and the barrage of bullpen guys.
Other notable items . . .
Safeco Field record for attendance for a regular season game: 41,497
tweets of the game . . .
https://twitter.com/SteveSandmeyer/status/979561135706959872
my photos of the game . . .
Very strange start to this game (both for me and for the team) . . .
I arrived at the ballpark realizing I’d forgotten my portable phone charger so, I spent the first TWO innings near The Pen, at the ‘charging station’ watching a nearby TV and listening to the Halos broadcast via At Bat. Trout hit the THREE-run homer just as I plugged in (and, of course the Halos announcers were giddy – little did they know what would happen in the bottom of the inning 😉 )
ON the MOUND
Yes, that 1st inning was exasperating (Trout just seems to have Felix’s number) . . .
But, was SO good to see Felix dial it in and go a full EIGHT (something he had yet to do this season) and, ultimately, get the win . . .
EIGHT innings ~ THREE hits ~ FOUR earned runs ~ THREE walks ~ SIX strikeouts
Eddy gets his THIRD save in style ~ THREE up/THREE down ~ all K’s
AT the PLATE
FOURTEEN hits ~ only ONE for extra-bases ~ Zu’s THREE-run bomb in the 1st
IN the FIELD
* error by Adam but, an OF assist by Seth to get the lead-runner in the 5th
* around-the-horn double-play (Kyle-Robbie-Adam) to end the 7th
tweets of the game . . .
ugh. swept aside AGAIN by another lessor team . . .
seems the M’s are playing to their competition of late.
g47 Mariners 2 | Twins 7
another bad night for Felix
g48 Mariners 5 | Twins 6
M’s had the bases loaded TWICE with only ONE run scored (via a DP – the other was THREE pop-ups in-a-row – can you spell F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-O-N?!?) and, a whacky end to the game – after Guti homered in the 8th to bring it within one, he was up again w/runners at the corners and ONE out – both were thrown out after the catcher dropped and recovered a ball 😦
g49 Mariners 5 | Twins 5
another rough day for Tai, Guti did his part again, homering in the bottom of the 9th to bring them within ONE
tweets of the series . . .
and, all was NOT lost, as I got to attend Saturday evening’s game with these lovely ladies . . . 
only the second time this season the M’s were shut out
Strange series to be sure . . .
Go figure.
ON the MOUND
Probably Felix’s best start this season . . .
SEVEN.ONE innings ~ SEVEN hits ~ THREE earned runs ~ TWO walks ~ NINE strikeouts
Unfortunately, much like seasons past but, UNlike the season so far this year – the bats were all but dead.
Bully . . .
Nick allowed an inherited runner to score (still think they should ‘share the blame’) and Monty pitched a scoreless 9th
AT the PLATE
Move along . . . nothing to see here 😦
TWO measly hits (both singles), TWO hit-by-pitch, ONE walk
yuckity yuk!
IN the FIELD
a nice DP to end the 2nd (and we’re thinking ‘we got this’ . . . *sigh*)
But, it was a fun day at the ballpark because I got to share in the misery 😉
Congrats to Felix, the Mariners all-time leader in victories . . .
ON the MOUND
Felix was far from his sharpest but, he hung in through seven full for the extra-special win. . .
~ Good news: he only gave up FOUR hits
~ Bad news: TWO of them were homers
~ Good news: they were both solo shots
SEVEN innings ~ FOUR hits ~ TWO earned runs ~ TWO walks ~ FOUR strikeouts
Bully . . .
Joel and Steve combined for TWO innings of ZERO hits/runs. Steve earning his TENTH save and preserving Felix’s historic victory 🙂
AT the PLATE
Have a day, Ketel!!!
tweets of the game . . .
Now THAT’s the way to tackle a home stand 🙂
~ both series featured one-run wins, blowout wins and close losses
~ SIX games, TWO series, FOUR wins, TWO series wins (FIFTH series win in-a-row!)
tweets of the series . . .
https://twitter.com/SteveSandmeyer/status/726269804600905728
g16 Mariners 5 | Angels 2 (in 10)
tweets of the series . . .
Both teams w/ TEN hits, ONE error, ONE homer
Y’s w/ONE more double and M’s batters w/SIX more K’s
BUT, the Yanks strand FOURTEEN so . . . .
the good guys win 🙂
ON THE MOUND
Very strange start from Felix . . .
SO many pitches, SO many walks but, history recorded
and his FIRST win but the strangest line ever . . .
FIVE innings ~ ONE earned run ~ SIX walks ~ FOUR strikeouts
The Bully gives up ONE but . . .
goes FOUR full w/THREE holds (Vidal, Nick, Joaquin) and Steve’s FIRST save
AT THE PLATE
the bad . . .
batters w/THIRTEEN K’s (most so far) and only ONE walk (fewest so far)
the good . . .
pretty much everything else 😉
~ only TWO starters w/o a hit (Guti and Chris)
~ Leonys’s only hit was a L O N G homer that tied the game at ONE
~ Robbie’s RBI single scored Ketel from 1B to break the tie
~ Nellie with TWO hits, ONE an RBI double scoring Robbie to make it 3-2 (where it stayed)
IN THE FIELD
} Adam w/a fielding error
} TWO double plays turned (both Robbie to Ketel to Dae-Ho)
tweets of the game . . .
https://twitter.com/SteveSandmeyer/status/721423043835244544
Compass Rosy 