Slow Start Continues For Mariners

The Seattle Mariners started a nine game home stand on Friday April 17 against the Texas Rangers. They follow up with a series against the Houston Astros and the Minnesota Twins. This is a good time for the Mariners to start hitting consistently and improving on starting pitching; however, last night they did get good pitching out of J.A. Happ who gave up two runs in seven innings before giving it over to the bullpen.

The final score ended up being 3-1. Happ gave up a double to Prince Fielder to score the first run in the first inning. Later he gave up a home run as well. Going into the ninth inning the Mariners still had a chance to win after scoring a run in the 8^th inning; however, after a throwing error by Zunino that allowed a runner to third the batter hit a ball down the third base line that looked like it would end the inning the ball hit the third base bag and Seager was unable to get the runner. Scoring the third run was crucial for the Ranger since Feliz came in the bottom of the ninth inning and closed the game. Feliz has never given up a run to the Mariner though Friday night there was a ball hit to the right field fence that was caught by Sin Soo Choo. The ball when hit did look like it would be the first run scored off of Feliz. If the ball had not hit the third base bag in the top of the ninth and the Mariners got a home run on the ball to Choo it would have been a tie game and gone into extra innings.

The Mariners did continue to get hits during the game. They had a total of eight hits including three by Nelson Cruz. The problem continues that the Mariners did not have any timely hits to drive in runs. I am sure though if J.A. Happ continues to pitch for the Mariners like he has in his first two starts he will have a successful season, and the Mariners will go to the playoffs. Hopefully the team will start getting the pitching and hitting together. We can only hope.  Tonight Felix Hernandez goes to the mound and can bounce back from his previous start where he had to leave after five innings because of a small injury. We hope to see the King Felix we are accustomed to and the Mariners bats can find some holes and get timely hitting. In the meantime Go Mariners!