Mariners Split Doubleheader

The Seattle Mariners played a doubleheader on Saturday because Friday night’s game was postponed because of rain. Actually Saturday morning it rained almost all the way up to game time however they were able to get both games in without interruption.

The Mariners lost the first game 4-3 and then won the nightcap 9-5. In the first game Marco Gonzales was going along just fine giving up a run in the fourth inning and then he had trouble in the sixth inning giving up two double and then a two-run homer to shortstop Jose Iglesias his second of the season. That was what cost the Mariners the game. Manny Acta was managing with Scott Servais being at his daughter’s college graduation in getting her master’s degree. I sort of wonder if Servais would have been there taken Gonzales out after the second double.  Erik Goeddel who the Mariners brought up from Tacoma when Ichiro became a special assistant pitched the final two innings gave up two hits and struck out two without giving up a run. His earn run average is now at 1.69.

In the second game Robinson Cano and Ryon Healy who each hit doubles in the first game came back to each hit a home run. Healy’s home run was a two-run blast in the fourth inning for the Mariners to take a 3-2 lead. Cano hit a three home run in the fifth inning that chased Tiger’s starter Michael Fulmer giving the Mariners a 6-2. Unfortunately in the bottom of the fifth former Mariner John Hicks hit a two-run homer off of Felix and the Tigers scored three runs to come within a run of the Mariners’ 6-5. Felix got the win though he gave up eight hits and five runs in the five innings he pitched. James Pazos who has been pitching really well pitched the sixth inning giving up no hits against three batters. He threw seventeen pitches with one being a ball. He was followed by Nick Vincent in the seventh, Juan Nicasio who struggled and lost the game in his last outing in Toronto the day after James Paxton’s no-hitter. Dan Altavilla who was activated off the disabled list as the twenty-six player added because of the rule when playing a second game in a doubleheader caused by a rainout. He got all three batters out including striking out one. Sunday the Mariners will have to deactivate a player. I expect it will not be Altavilla. My guess would be that Casey Lawrence sent back to Tacoma.

Ryon Healy’s home run was his seventh of the season and since he was activated from the disabled list. He continues to be a very hot hitter for the Mariners and now his batting average is at .272. The game in which James Paxton pitched the no-hitter he has shown playing pretty well at first base too. At this point he has shown that Jerry Dipoto did an excellent job picking him up from the Oakland A’s. It allowed the Mariners not to pay a free agent player a high salary either.

Although the Mariners only scored three and had four hits in the first game they showed that they can come back and score nine runs in the second game. The Mariners now have a record of 22-16, being a game and a half behind the first place Houston Astros and in third place. Look forward to see the Mariners take Sunday’s game to take another series on the road. They will complete the road trip playing the Minnesota Twins in a make-up game for an earlier rainout.  James Paxton will take the mound on Sunday to finish the series in Detroit. The Mariners should be in good standing if Paxton can pitch close to what he has done in his last two outing. Wade LeBlanc will pitch in Minnesota on Monday. We hope for another good outing by LeBlanc. Go M’s.