Randy Johnson threw out the first pitch, Dan Wilson caught it, then Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner joined them in the infield – now that’s a lot of good memories.
Thrown back to reality, Ryan Rowland-Smith worked a 1-2-3 inning againsst Oakland and the Seattle Mariners have officially opened their home season.
Now, can they score enough runs to win? Stay tuned.
- Rowland-Smith has retired nine consecutive Athletics, two on marvelous defensive plays by Chone Figgins, then Casey Kotchman. The Mariners offense is … a walk to Milton Bradley.
- Oakland gets the first threat handed to them: back-to-back walks to open the fourth inning, after which Rajai Davis stole third base. Rowland-Smith walked Ryan Sweeney to load ‘em up. Kevin Kouzmanoff got the run home with a fly ball, and a double play ended the inning. No hits, but one run. Oakland 1, Seattle 0.
- First hit of the game goes to the Mariners – Franklin Gutierrez doubled to left-center field, runing his hitting streak to 13 games, matching his career high. Jose Lopez grounded out, Gutierrez to third. Griffey Jr. struck out on a breaking pitch down. Bradley grounded out. After four: Oakland 1, Seattle 0.
- Weird game. Through five innings, Oakland doesn’t have a hit but has four walks and a run. Seattle has one hit, one walk and one hit batter. Welcome to the American League West.
- Oakland’s first hit was a solo home run to the No. 9 hitter, Cliff Pennington. On an 0-2 count, Rowland-Smith tried to come up and in and only came up and over the inner half - one of the few pitches Pennington could hammer. In the sixth: Oakland 2, Seattle 0.
- Seventh inning threat: Kouzmanoff doubled, Kurt Suzuki walked. Oakland bunted both men over. Game-on-the-line situation, Rowland-Smith gets an infield pop out, but on his 90th pitch gives up a two-run single to Greg Gross. Oakland 4, Seattle 0.
- Starting the eighth inning: Shawn Kelley pitching for Seattle.
- So close. Ichiro Suzuki hit a ball out to right field that just hooked foul at the pole – as close as Seattle has come to a run today.
- Closer Andrew Bailey on for Oakland, and the Mariners go quietly, losing a game in which they get two – count ‘em, two! – hits. It’s a final: Oakland 4, Seattle 0.
Apparently the fans forgot to “bring a run”….
Mariners better figure out how to hit, or this will be a long, painful season
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Larry Larue, I owe you an apology. I ripped you pretty good after game one when you had many doubts about this team. Clearly you were right, after a 2-5 road trip. Awesome to have RJ, Jr, Gar, Bone, and Dan Wilson all on the field together today. Talk about some memories there. That would have been something to see.
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kev – apology accepted, but i understand why you had doubts. hard to believe this team wouldn’t hit a bit better than it has, and i think it will. until it does, however, there are going to be some painful games.
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This could be their most anemic offense of ALL time…..It is so discouraging to have so much hope and be subjected to this. I am not satisfied to watch good defense and spottty pitching. In my heart I have always been a Giants fan, maybe I should sub. to their TV package.
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