Edwin Jackson shuts out Mariners 7-0

I guess scoring 13 runs over two games exhausted the M’s offense, which explains why Edwin Jackson limited the M’s to three hits in eight innings of a  7-0 shutout.  The Mariners were held hitless by the perennial prospect/ ex-Dodger flame-out Jackson until the fourth inning, while the Rays racked up four runs on eight hits in the six innings tossed by Seattle starter Miguel Batista.

With the M’s offense unable to get anything going against Jackson, another meltdown by Eric O’Flaherty didn’t matter, with Eric’s ERA jumping to over 20 by allowing three runs while getting one out in the seventh.  Its quite clear that O’Flaherty needs to spend some time down on the farm for the sake of his mental make-up.

So the M’s return home for an all-important series against the Angels.  (Even though it’s April, it’s always important when they face the Halos.)  Hopefully Kenji Johjima, held hitless in his last 19 at-bats, can rediscover his batting stroke at Safeco, as he is facing a pitcher in Angel starter Jered Weaver that he’s batted .333 against in 18 at-bats.

Tomorrow’s pitching match-up of Weaver against Felix is the latest chapter in what has become a rivalry between two of the best young pitching talents in the AL West.  And is also a rivalry that has Felix continually coming out on the losing end: dropping all four decisions in match-ups against Jered.  Overall against the Angels in his career, Felix has a 2-4 record, and despite posting a 45-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 55 innings, it hasn’t helped garner Felix any sort of edge against Jered, who has won four of five decisions over-all against the M’s, and has posted an 29-to-8 impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio himself  in 42 innings against the M’s.

Raul Ibanez may have a career .526 average and 1.519 OPS against Weaver in their match-ups, but Vladimir Guerrero and Gary Matthews Jr. have combined to hit .400 with six combined extra base hits (and ten RBIs by Matthews) in 55 combined at-bats.  It’s troubling that the m’s offense disappeared today against Edwin Jackson.  If it shows continued signs of slumber, the M’s are going to be toast against Weaver’s offerings.  Final score: 5-1, Angels.

Single-A check in: Two shutouts compel Timber Rattlers to 2-3 start to 2008

Playing amidst four postponed games due to inclement weather in seven days, the M’s class A affiliate Wisconsin Timber Rattlers have managed to post a 2-3 record in their first five games.  Those two wins were due to two 2-0 shutouts tossed against the Quad City River Bandits in a double header last Saturday.   Top Mariner pitching prospect Phillipe Aumont tossed four no-hit innings, with just a second-inning walk blemishing his line.  Donald Hume tossed five one-hit innings in the second shutout, as the Rattlers were able to keep the Bandits to four hits over the double-header, pleasing Rattler fans with the great pitching exhibited last weekend.

All though no Rattlers have gone yard on the young season, outfielder/ spark plug Daniel Carroll is off to a great start to the season, racking up a .350 average and being successful in five stolen base attempts in the first five games.  Besides Aumont and Hume, Nathan Adcock also had a strong start, allowing two unearned runs and four hits over five innings.

Today’s doubleheader against the Clinton Lumber Kings was rained out, meaning one game was played with five attempts to work the rest of the series in has been met with a PPD.  The teams will play again tomorrow, and might attempt to work in another doubleheader.  Weather permitting, of course.