Tag Archives: Leone

g27 | can you say heart.break?

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Mariners 4 | Angels 5 

Ouch!

heartbreak

-Solid outing from your starter – CHECK!
-FOUR doubles – CHECK!
-Only TWO walks but, they made Richards work – CHECK!
-a string of clutch hits – CHECK!
-solid defense – CHECK!
-but then, the BP blows (twice!) – UNcheck 😦

ON the MOUND
James continues to progress . . . . SO good to see!
He gave up a TWO-run homer to Pujols in the first but, settled down and was not only effective but, efficient (including a SIX pitch 6th)
SEVEN innings ~ FOUR hits ~ TWO earned runs ~ THREE walks ~ FOUR strikeouts

} Danny goes to 3-0 on Trout leading off the 8th and then gets him to pop up. But, the double-play to end the inning comes ONE batter too late as Halos tie the game at FOUR with a bloop single, a walk and back-to-back singles.
} Dom threw TWO pitches in the bottom of the 9th . . .

AT the PLATE
~ LoMo staying HOT, another TWO doubles and a line drive single
~ Robbie comin’ ’round? couple of base knocks and then a lead-off double in the 8th
~ Kyle with an RBI single to score Robbie to tie the game
~ Zu with an RBI single to score LoMo for the first M’s run and a TWO-run double to give the M’s the lead in the 8th
~ Dustin with a sac-fly to extend the M’s lead in the 8th (slight redemption after he struck out with the bases loaded in the 6th)

IN the FIELD
* Ack with an extra-base robbing, leaping catch at the LF wall and a nice running catch
* Nellie with a nice running catch (he continues to prove he is more than servicable in RF)

tweets of the game . . .

https://twitter.com/SteveSandmeyer/status/595801397418991616

g22 | opportunity was banging down the door!

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Mariners 2 | Astros 3

James’ start VERY encouraging.
The offense VERY frustrating.

goodbad

ON the MOUND
So great to see James finally put up an outing just like we expected!
SEVEN innings ~ FIVE hits ~ TWO earned runs ~ TWO walks ~ SEVEN strikeouts 
Unfortunately, he got NO help from his OH

} Awesome that Carson already has a Mariners record . . .

} Dom started out great: retiring the first FOUR batters he faced (retired the side in order in the 9th and then got the lead off guy in the 10 to ground out). But, then a double, a walk and an Altuve LONG single that scored the winning run

AT the PLATE
SOOOOO many chances . . .
~ ELEVEN hits – ALL singles
~ FOUR walks (though none scored)
~ Only TWO innings out of TEN did the M’s have ZERO base-runners (6th and 7th)
~ BOTH runs scored in the 1st:  THREE consecutive infield singles and a GDIP (Nellie) scored the first run and Kyle lined one of the few solid hits to drive in the second
~ AJ had THREE hits (and a steal)
~ top of the order went SEVEN for FOURTEEN w/TWO runs scored
~ Nellie had a rare 0-fer, Brad also 0-fer but, w/TWO walks

IN the FIELD
Brad had a nice defensive game, including a DP (Brad-Robbie-LoMo)

tweets of the game . . .

https://twitter.com/SteveSandmeyer/status/593953816510238721

g20 | the HAPPiness continues!

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Mariners 2 | Rangers 1

road winners

Nice to have the series in the bag with Felix up next and a decent shot at the first sweep! 🙂

ON the MOUND
Chalk up another QS for JA!
(unfortunately, I didn’t get to see/hear it but, seems like one of his best yet!)
The run he allowed didn’t come until TWO outs in the 7th!
SIX.TWO innings ~ SIX hits ~ ONE earned run ~ ONE walk ~ NINE strikeouts

Bully really rounding into form (now that they’ve had more normal “rest” of late) . . .
} Tyler retired the only batter he faced (to end the 7th)
} Dom was the only reliever not to record an out (allowed a single to the only batter he faced – leading off the 8th)
} Charlie and Yoervis combined to get the THREE outs to end the 8th
} Nando, only needed TEN pitches to set them down 1-2-3 in the 9th for his SIXTH save and JA’s SECOND victory!

AT the PLATE
Only SEVEN total hits . . .
~ THREE for extra bases (Nellie with a double AND a triple and Rickie with a HOMER!)
~ Justin checking in on base TWICE again (TWO singles)

IN the FIELD
Not the best . . .
* another error by Brad
* no DP’s turned but TWO turned against them 😦

tweets of the game . . .

g17| of fielding errors, pitchers walks and general yuckiness . . .

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Mariners 5 | Twins 8

ill

So, I wasn’t feeling well on Saturday and, needless to say, this game did nothing to improve my mental, physical or emotional condition 😦

The offense continues, for the most part to do what should be enough but the defense is totally breaking down which is not helping the already struggling starters not name Felix or Happ.

ON the MOUND
James didn’t get much help early from his defense. who played a big part in the Twins ability to score a run without the benefit of a hit in the 1st (though James’ TWO walks didn’t help matters either). After that, he retired SIX straight before the homer in the 4th but, another walk and an error and a hit in the 5th and that would be it for JP, who had thrown a TON (106) of pitches and ended up with a rather odd line . . .
FOUR.TWO innings ~ FIVE hits ~ FOUR runs ~ ONE earned run ~ THREE walks ~ SEVEN strikeouts

The bullpen didn’t fair any better . .
} Dom, Tyler and Yoervis combined for THREE innings ~ FOUR earned runs ~ TWO walks ~ ONE strikeout
} Lucas faired the best of the bunch (in his 2015 debut, called up when Kuma went on the DL) going TWO.ONE innings and allowing TWO walks and recording TWO strikeouts but ZERO hits or runs

ONE AT the PLATE
Only EIGHT total hits from the offense but, considering that included FOUR doubles and a homer, should have been enough
The Good News . . .
~ Robbie extended his hitting streak to ELEVEN with a solid single in the 1st
~ ONE thru FOUR in the order went 7/17 with FOUR runs and FOUR RBI
The Bad News . . .
~ FIVE thru NINE in the order wnet 1/18 with ONE run and ONE RBI
~ Zu recorded TWO more strikeouts and LoMo continues to hit balls right at people

IN the FIELD
ugh! the errors and blunders are starting to mount . . .
* TWO errors (Kyle and AJ) in the 1st led to bases loaded with only ONE out
* Kyle had another error in the 5th that helped give the Twins the lead they would not reliquish

tweets of the game . . . 

g14 | Taijuan re-bounds, bullpen re-gurgitates

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Mariners 3 | Astros 6

sad kitty

To me, this is one of the toughest losses so far. A starter who’s been struggling seemed to turn things around (in a big way!), the offense does   j  u  s  t   enough against a pitcher that’s killed them in the past and then the bullpen fails them.

ON the MOUND
Taijuan looking more like Taijuan tonight – he needed that (though he didn’t deserve the ultimate result)
He threw a LOT of pitches (101) for 5.1 innings and walked too many but, he also struck out a LOT of ‘stros . . .
FIVE.ONE innings ~ FOUR hits ~ ONE earned run ~ FOUR walks ~ EIGHT strikeouts

} Dom struck out the first hitter he faced in the 6th (taking over for Tai with TWO on ONE out) then Brad blocked a grounder with his body, loading the bases but saving a run – a fly ball to AJ in CF ended the inning
} Carson needed just THIRTEEN pitches to retire the ‘stros in order in the 7th – and things were looking promising!

and then came “eff and eff” . . .
} Charlie and Danny did NOT have it tonight, to say the least. The Astros had only FIVE hits thru SEVEN innings. In the 8th they went: error, single, single (Charlie gives way to Danny) walk, single, double, pop-up, walk, GDIP – what was a 3-1 lead turned into a 6-3 deficit.
Granted, the home plate umpire’s calls may have had a bit to do with it but, that’s baseball 😦
} Nando struck out the side in order in the 9th ~in a non-save situation~ small miracles!

AT the PLATE
Not a huge night offensively – but, it should have been enough 😦
RUNS – Ack, Kyle and ZU (good to see him hit a solid line drive and, zero strikeouts)
RBI – Robbie (2) and Brad (1)

IN the FIELD
* Brad made a nice grab of a deep pop-up and a great throw home (the runner was called safe but it was over-turned)
* Fine running catch by Seth to snag a would-be extra-base hit in RF (he can get on base and he can play RF!)
* Brad tries to dive for a ball in the infield but just blocks it and saves a run
* Robbie with an error on the first play of the ill-fated 8th
* ONE double-play – it ended the ill-fated 8th but, by then it was too little, too late

tweets of the game . . . 

https://twitter.com/SteveSandmeyer/status/590713079664607232

https://twitter.com/SteveSandmeyer/status/590738012956454914

g12 | first HOME series VICTORY!!!

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Mariners 11 | Rangers 10

roller coaster

Talk about a roller coaster (and Nando wasn’t even in the game!)
– Up 2-0 after 1st
Down 2-7 going to bottom 3rd
– Chippin’ away, still down 5-7 after 3rd
Down 5-10 after 6th
– Chippin’ away, still down 6-10 after 7
Chippin’ away, new game 9-10 after 8

WALK-OFF WIN . . . 11-10 🙂 🙂 🙂

ON the MOUND
Not James’ afternoon . . .
though, to be fair, that 3rd inning wasn’t all his fault (only TWO of the SEVEN runs were earned)
TWO.TWO innings ~ NINE hits ~ SEVEN runs ~ TWO earned runs ~ ZERO walks ~ ONE strikeout

} Tyler started out pretty well – got the last out of the 3rd for James, struck out Prince (TWICE!) and, despite a walk and a HBP, posted a scoreless 4th AND 5th. But, he allowed THREE runs in the 6th on a lead-off double, and IBB and a single (and a single and an RBI ground out via Carson’s outing)
} Dom had a nice (maybe over-looked) outing: TWO hitless/scoreless innings with a walk and a strikeout
} Yoervis allowed a hit, a walk and recorded a strikeout but NO runs in the 9th

AT the PLATE
SEVENTEEN hits – only FOUR for extra-bases . . .
~ ONE double (Robbie) and THREE homers (Austin and Nellie)
~ Homers in Cream = Austin’s first this season, Nellie’s seventh AND eighth (now leads the majors!)

How ’bout THIS for a middle of the order?!?
NINE for FIFTEEN with FOUR runs, FOUR walks and NINE RBI

Really great to see the lead-off guy on base FOUR times . . .
Austin had the lead-off homer but, also drew a walk and another couple of hits (including an RBI to tie the game in the 9th)

And, they were able to grind out AB’s in the 8th and 9th . . .
~ SIX walks – including ONE IBB to Robbie (when has THAT ever happened?!?) and FOUR singles recorded FIVE runs!
~ Seth pinch hit in the 8th and worked walks in BOTH the 8th and the 9th and scored BOTH times

IN the FIELD
* Nellie with a nice sliding catch for the first out of the game (continues to prove he’s more than serviceable in RF)
* Nice running grab/throw by Willie at short to end the top of the 6th
* Justin with a great “sun-ball” catch on the track
* Kyle and Willie each with an error (Kyle really making up for his with THREE RBI)

tweets of the game . . . 

https://twitter.com/aaronmgoldsmith/status/589943280558800896

g10 | always a missing piece . . .

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Mariners 1 | Rangers 3

missing piece

So, for the most part on the road trip, we saw decent offense, spotty defense and poor pitching. Tonight was the opposite: great defense, good pitching, very little offense. At least the latter is more familiar – and, maybe why that combination concerns me less. I remain convinced that it’s generally less of a chore to get bats going than it is to get arms right.

We shall see . . .

ON the MOUND
J.A. had another quality start, comparable to his performance in Oakland (where he allowed a couple more hits in less IP but, also didn’t allow an XBH or a BB but, only had one K). So far, I think we’d take J.A.’s performance in his first two starts ALL season long – especially from our “5th” starter 🙂  His line tonight . . .
SEVEN innings ~ FIVE hits ~ TWO earned runs ~ TWO walks~ THREE strikeouts

} Yoervis got a couple of quick outs in the 8th but then allowed a double
} Charlie still sporting a 0.00 ERA but, he walked the only batter he faced tonight 😦
} Dom came in to get the final out in the 8th but then, allowed a lead-off walk in the 9th followed by an over-turned DP (runner out at 2B, runner safe at 1B) and then a WP moved the runner from 2B to 3B who would eventually score on a freaky infield hit that bounce off the 3B bag (if the M’s didn’t have bad luck they’d have no luck 😦 )

AT the PLATE
EIGHT hits but, only ONE for extra bases . . .
Brad led off the 8th with a double and scored on Seth’s sac-fly for the lone M’s run

LoMo continues to be the leader in bad luck . . . 
Line drives right at fielders and now add a sure extra base hit (if not a home run) robbed at the wall in the 9th (by Choo). He plays all out though – had a nice hard slide into 2B to break up a double-play in the 5th (which WOULD have been the Rangers 4th DP turned)

https://twitter.com/SteveSandmeyer/status/589280317585821696

Nellie had THREE singles coming into the 9th when he the came  T  H  I  S   close to extending his streak homer streak to SIX games . . .

IN the FIELD
Credit where credit is due . . .
* Gotta gush about LoMo again. He really is an under-rated first baseman. He had a great snare of a liner and more than one nice stretch at the bag to ensure the out. Here’s hoping he can stay healthy because it’s very apparent he’s capable of saving runs.
* Nellie’s never going to be a gold glove right fielder but, he is at least serviceable (he made a nice play cutting off a line drive with a great throw to keep the runner at 1B). Seems the main concern with him playing the field is more health than competency.
* Austin had a couple of really nice running catches in CF and Kyle had one of those “look what I found” catches of a bullet hit right at him – he was still in a squat position and didn’t have to move a muscle
* Zu, as usual was great BEHIND the plate (yes, we all know he needs to improve AT it) including a great throw to nail a would-be base-stealer at 2B

tweets of the game . . . 

g7 | first TWO were charmed, third straight, extra-inning game not so much

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extras
For the third time in as many games, the M’s took the game to extras on the road. Unfortunately, third time was NOT the charm, despite an early 4-0 lead and hitting FOUR homers. Still a lot to be encouraged about: the power is coming alive from multiple bats, the DEE is still strong and I have a feeling the pitching will get stronger as we go along. Plus, the Dodgers are no weak sisters!

ON the MOUND
James had a bit of a rough go in the middle innings (to say the least) BUT, good to see him hang in and finish strong, retiring the last FOUR batters he faced . . .
SIX.ONE innings ~ SIX hits ~ FIVE earned runs ~ TWO walks ~ SIX strikeouts

Despite depletion (Tom on 15-day DL, Danny and Nando not available) the BP ALMOST muddled through . . .
} Charlie and Carson each got an out in the 7th
} Dominic (up to replace Tom) posted scoreless 8th and 9th but only recorded ONE out before loading the bases
} Tyler struck out the first batter he faced (Crawford) but then allowed the game-winning hit – valiant effort, good experience

AT the PLATE
bringing the BOOM – only ____ hits but, FOUR were homers . . .
~ Nellie with TWO (fourth, third in as many games)

~ Kyle with ONE (second)
~ Ack with ONE (third)
The bad news is the FIFTEEN K’s

IN the FIELD
* Kyle with an awesome diving stop and strong throw to 1B for the first out of the 2nd
* nice knee-high basket catch after coming in for the 8th
* smooth put out by LoMo to Dominic covering 1B for the second out of the 8th

tweets of the game . . .

g161 | win in #161 = meaningful #162 and chance for #163

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WOW – what a game!
To see young guys who failed at their first opportunity come through in their second chance . . .
sort of a microcosm of the season and bodes well for the future no matter the outcome tomorrow. These players are learning what it’s like to play meaningful baseball in September and that experience is INvaluable going forward.

smooth sea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mariners 2 | Angels 1 (in 11)

ON the MOUND
James had a nice bounce-back from the nightmare that was his start in Toronto . . .
Didn’t make it through SIX and threw a LOT of pitches but, ONE earned run? (and it came in the only inning -2nd- that he had any trouble so, nice he was able to limit the damage) We’ll take that every time!
FIVE.TWO innings ~ FOUR hits ~ ONE earned run ~ THREE walks ~ FOUR strikeouts

The bullpen was NAILS . . .
} Danny, Charlie, Carson and Yourvis combined for TWO.ONE innings of NO hits + NO runs
} Nando (tie game – eeek!), Tom and Dom each gave up ONE hit in their ONE inning of work but NO runs

AT the PLATE
Not a whole lot going against CJ for the first SIX innings . . .
~ In the 7th – a Kyle walk and a LoMo double tied the game at ONE
~ In the 9th – a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY turned to lead – as the bases loaded w/NO outs and they could not score (Brad and Chris each struck out and Austin lined out)
~ More opps in the 10th – Ack led off with a single, Robbie grounded out (moving Dustin to 2B) then Kendrys was intentionally walked, Humberto struck out and LoMo grounded out
~ Then the magic that was the 11th –  three “goats” of the 9th became HEROS – Brad doubled with ONE out, Chris T singled (moving Brad to 3B) and Austin collected the GW RBI w/a walk-off fielder’s choice . . .

*** MARINERS WIN!!! ***
STILL ALIVE IN THE #HuntForThePostSEAson

IN the FIELD
* Kyle with a rare mis-play allowed the Halos only run to score
* Dustin made an awesome running grab in the 10th
* Endy mis-played the very next ball in play, putting a runner at 2B w/TWO outs . . . luckily, it didn’t matter

tweets of the game . . .

 

g159 | salvaged and still breathing . . .

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So, the M’s ACE and their Ace in-the-making lose BIG, the rook goes a stellar eight but loses and their only win in Toronto comes from the ‘bull-pen’ game – go figure.

still breathing

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mariners 7 | Blue Jays 5

ON the MOUND
This ‘bull pen’ start definitely wasn’t pretty but, the M’s will take the final result . . .
Tom “started” but only went 1.1 while giving up TWO earned runs. They proceeded to use EIGHT more pitchers, Danny the only one to go TWO innings. Joe also gave up TWO runs, they all combined for NINE strikeouts. Nando gave up ONE run but, shot the arrow for the 47th time this season.

AT the PLATE
The bat finally awoke! Of their TEN total hits, SEVEN were for extra-bases . . .
~ LoMo with TWO homers (FOUR rbi) and Zu with ONE
~ Brad with TWO doubles, Robbie and Kendrys each with ONE
~ Runs scored all through out the line up

IN the FIELD
THREE errors (Chris, Kendrys and Brad) but, thankfully didn’t factor in

tweets of the game . . .