Mariners Win Series Opener

 Mariners 9 White Sox 3

Take Away: The best thing a ball club
can do is win the first game of a series
especially on the road and the Mariners
did so in Chicago. The offense came
alive for sure.

Player of the game: Luis Torrens who 

has hit well since being recalled to

Seattle hit two home runs both being

the two-run variety. He put the Mariners

up 2-0 in the second inning though

Yasmini Grandal hit a solo in the bottom

of the second. The closest the White Sox

got for the game.

The Mariners got a run in the third then

in the sixth inning Jake Fraley hit a two-

run homer himself. Torrens second homer

was in the seventh inning. The Mariners

added on a run in both the eighth and ninth

as well. Neither was by the home run variety.

Pitcher of the game: Yusei Kikuchi pitched

well like he has in recent games going five

and two-thirds giving up two hits, one run

the homer in the second, four walks while

striking out six. Kikuchi left partly by being

tired but also the strike zone by the home

plate umpire.  

JT Chargois came in with two runners on

base with Jose Abreu coming up to bat.

Chargois was able to get Abreu on three

pitches. Drew Steckenrider pitched a good

seventh inning. Rafael Montero continued

to struggle giving up two runs. Saving grace

was able to get the Sox on a double play

and striking out the last hitter of the inning.

Paul Sewald who has been pitching well

of late struck out the side in the ninth.

Luis Torrens since being recalled on June

15th is hitting .375 for the month with

five home runs and nine rbi's. Pretty good

for someone who got off to a poor start 

and had to be sent down to Tacoma. 

Besides Torrens the Mariners had four other

hitters to have two hits in the game. JP

Crawford, Mitch Haniger, Jake Bauer and

Dylan Moore. 

Logan Gilbert will be going for the Mariners

in Saturday's afternoon game against Lance

Lynn who is having a good season and did

a fine job against the Mariners the first time

out. We hope the Mariners can get to Lynn

this time out. Lynn has a 7-3 record with 

ERA of 2.14. Pretty good for a starter. 

The Mariners have nine relievers to go along

with five starters as Justin Dunn is on the 

injured list. The Mariners haven't announced

yet who will pitch in the series against the

Toronto Blue Jays. Since Monday is off-day

they can go with a five-man rotation.  Don't

really have to change until Justin Dunn is

back or after the all-star break.