MARINERS 101

Mariners ace Felix Hernandez was cruising once again on Saturday until the 8th inning when the playoff-seeking Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim touched him up for 4 runs in the inning while only recording one out. The AL Rookie of the Year to-be and MVP hopeful, Mike Trout, led off the inning smacking a curveball past 2B Dustin Ackley and then Angel veteran outfielder Torii Hunter fouled off a couple pitches in which Trout was running. This could have gave Felix some problems as he had to hold Trout at first, throwing a couple pitches over. The speedy outfielder ended up not running on the play, proving he didn't have to when the Mariners ace hung a slider to Hunter ripping it up the middle. 

The situation was runners on first and third with no outs in a 2-1 ballgame, Mariners advantage. King Felix was able to induce the next batter, Albert Pujols, to hit a ground ball for a double-play but instead the ball went under the glove of 3B Kyle Seager and into left field, allowing Trout to score the tying run. OF Mark Trumbo then broke his bat on a soft liner to left scoring both Hunter and Pujols. That was it for Felix. The only out he recorded in the inning was on a ground out to SS Brendan Ryan which very well could have been the third out in the inning if Seager was able to turn that double play a couple batters before. 

There was not much more the 2012 AL Cy Young hopeful Hernandez could have done. He did his job in getting ground balls but the defense which ranks 1st in the Majors, could not get it done this time. It ended up costing Felix his 14th win but he will have 5 more starts to add to his already-impressive season credentials, which include a perfect game and a Major League-leading 5 shutouts (4 of which coming in his last 13 outings). 

The M's dropped the first two games of this series against the Angels and turn to RHP Hisashi Iwakuma for a win tomorrow as they hope to avoid a 3-game sweep at the hands of their AL West rivals. Angles ace Jared Weaver gets the start tomorrow for the Halos, who is also in the AL Cy Young discussion. Hopefully the Mariners can get to Weaver like the Angels got to Felix today to keep him a tick ahead of Weaver in the race. 

Gametime: 1:10 PM RHP Hisashi Iwakuma vs. RHP Jered Weaver @ Safeco Field. 

 

Tags: Albert Pujols, Baseball, Felix Hernandez, Jered Weaver, Kyle Seager, Mike Trout, MLB, Seattle, Seattle Mariners

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