Thursday, May 3, 2001

Mariners Crush Sox in Seattle (5/3/01)

If you weren't a believer before the series, you should be now when it comes to the Seattle Mariners. They are definitely for real. The Mariners have the best record in baseball and completely smacked around the Boston Red Sox in not only this game but this series. It took a tremendous effort from Pedro Martinez to keep the Sox from getting swept out of Seattle. Frank Castillo (3-2, 4.50 ERA) got knocked around by the Mariners for 5 runs before being lifted in the fifth inning. Tim Wakefield and Rich Garces also got smacked around by the relentless Mariners attack that pounded out 11 hits and 10 runs. The Sox offense were held down by old friend Jamie Moyer and when the dust settled, the Mariners had beaten the Red Sox 10-3 at Safeco Field.
                                                   "Those damn Mariners"

Moyer got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jose Offerman flied out to right to start. Brian Daubach grounded out to second but Carl Everett was hit with a pitch. Manny Ramirez struck out swinging to end the inning/ The Mariners jumped on Castillo in the bottom of the first as Ichiro Suzuki doubled to right to start. Ichiro stole third but Mike Cameron grounded back to the mound. Edgar Martinez scored Ichiro with a sac fly to put the Mariners on top, John Olerud then hit a home run all the way to British Columbia to increase the lead. Bret Boone struck out swinging to end the inning with the Mariners up 2-0.
                                                          Olerud hits one out

The Sox did try to rally in the top of the second inning as Dante Bichette caught the Mariners asleep with a bunt single down the third base line to begin. Troy O'Leary singled Bichette to third but Dante could only score on a double play hit by Jason Varitek. Shea Hillenbrand and Mike Lansing stroked back to back base hits but Offerman popped up to short to end the inning with the Mariners up 2-1.
                                                          Bichette scores a run

Al Martin took strike three to begin the bottom of the second inning before David Bell struck out swinging. Carlos Guillen popped up to left to end the inning.

Daubach grounded out to third to start the top of the third inning before Everett popped up to short. Ramirez flied out to center to end the inning. The Mariners struck again in the bottom of the third as Dan Wilson struck out swinging to start. Ichiro singled to the left side of the infield and Cameron hit a home run all the way to New Zealand to ice the game. Martinez walked and stole second when Olerud took strike three. Boone grounded out ton short to end the inning with the Mariners ahead 4-1.
                                                                 Cameron hits a 2 run bomb

Bichette flied out to center to start the top of the fourth before O'Leary took strike three. Varitek walked and Hillenbrand struck out swinging to end the inning. Martin flied out to center to begin the bottom of the fourth before Bell grounded back to the mound. Guillen singled to center but Wilson grounded into a force to end the inning.

The Sox blew their last chance to rally in the top of the fifth as Lansing and Offerman stroked back to back singles to start. Daubach struck out swinging and Everett popped up to second, but Ramirez lashed a base hit to left to load the bases. Bichette grounded out to second to end the inning, what a waste. The Mariners finished off Castillo in the bottom of the fifth as Ichiro grounded out to second to start. Cameron singled to right and stole second before Martinez grounded out to short. Olerud was intentionally walked but Boone singled home Cameron to increase the lead. That was it for Castillo after allowing 5 runs in 4 2/3 innings. Tim Wakefield came in and got Martin to fly out to right to end the inning with the Mariners up 5-1.
                                                            Castillo stinks the joint out

The Sox did rally in the top of the sixth as O'Leary grounded out to second to start. Varitek singled to center and Hillenbrand smashed his third home run of the season to cut the lead. Lansing grounded out to third and Offerman grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox down 5-3.
                                                      Hillenbrand goes yard

Wakefield couldn't hold the Mariners in the bottom of the sixth as Bell doubled to left to start. Guillen struck out swinging but Bell took third and Guillen first on the passed ball. Wilson grounded out to third to score Bell and Guillen moved to third on Ichiro's grounder to the mound. Cameron grounded out to short to end the inning with the Mariners up 6-3.
                                                                 Dammit Wakefield

Moyer cruised in the top of the seventh as Daubach lined out to second to start. Everett grounded out to first and Ramirez struck out swinging to end the inning. Another good start by Moyer, remember former Red Sox manager Kevin Kennedy traded him because he didn't "fit in" with his "star clubhouse"?
                                                            Sox still paying for trading him

Martinez walked to start the bottom of the seventh and Olerud singled him to third. Boone struck out swinging but Olerud stole second. Martin was intentionally walked to set up a double play and Bell lined out to Hillenbrand. Guillen grounded out to second to end the inning.

Norm Charlton came in for the top of the eighth and Charles Gipson came in to play left. Bichette grounded out to second, O'Leary popped up to third and Varitek struck out swinging to end the inning. The Mariners poured it on in the bottom of the eighth inning against "El Guapo" Rich Garces. Wilson struck out swinging but Ichiro singled to right. Cameron walked but Martinez struck out swinging. Olerud walked to load the bases and Boone walked in Ichiro to increase the lead. Mark McLemore pinch hit for Gipson and naturally ripped a bases clearing double to ice the game. Bell grounded out to short to end the inning with the Mariners up 10-3.
                                                           Ichiro sets the table for the rally

Kazuhiro Sasaki came in to close out the top of the ninth and  Hillenbrand popped up to third to start. Lansing struck out swinging but Offerman and Daubach storked back to back base hits, Offerman taking third on an error by Bell. Daubach took second on defensive indifference but Everett grounded out to first to end the game. The Mariners had won it 10-3.



Jackass of the Night is Frank Castillo. He got smacked around for 5 runs in just 4 2/3 innings to put the Sox in a hole they couldn't climb out of.
                                                                 Castillo The Jackass



The Good:

Jose Offerman was 2 for 5.

Jason Varitek was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Shea Hillenbrand was 2 for 4 with a 2 run homer.

Mike Lansing was 2 for 4.



The Bad:

Carl Everett was 0 for 4.

Rich Garces allowed 4 runs in the eighth inning.



The Ugly:

Brian Daubach was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.

Manny Ramirez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Dante Bichette was just 1 for 4 with a run scored.

Troy O'Leary was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

Tim Wakefield allowed an unearned run in 2 1/3 innings.




Final Thoughts:

The Sox have hit a snag lately dropping 4 of the last 5 games but to be fair, the Mariners are a damn good team. Think the Sox would rather have Moyer on the team than Castillo or whatever? The April magic seems to be wearing off as when you take a real hard look at the Red Sox team, there's a lot of holes that other teams don't have. Their rotation is a rag tag bunch outside of Pedro Martinez and Hideo Nomo and they have problems in the back end. The lineup is missing Nomar Garciaparra and the Sox are finding out what happens when Manny Ramirez doesn't hit well. Carl Everett is on a cold streak and when your 3-4 hitters aren't doing well, that's bad news no matter what team you are. Its only May so the Sox have plenty of time to get hot again but losing 2 of 3 to Seattle is not a good look. The Sox now travel down to Oakland for a three game set with the A's. Tomo Ohka goes for the Sox up against Gil Heredia of the A's tomorrow night at 10:05 PM eastern time at Oakland Coliseum.

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