Mariners score seven runs- use up quota?

Holy moley!  How about that offensive explosion!

For the second game in a row, the Mariners scored two runs in the first inning.  Having learned their lesson in the finale of the three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium, the M’s must’ve realized that a 2-0 lead was not enough.  As such, they actually manged to tack on extra runs, adding a run on a Jose Lopez single in the second and a whopping four runs in the third on homers by Richie Sexson and Wladimir Balentien (Wlad’s second three-run shot in a week) for a 7-0 lead that chased Rangers starter Kevin Millwood after three innings and 76 pitches tossed.  Sure, the Rangers’ bullpen came in and silenced the M’s bats on one hit over the last five innings, but that seven runs was enough for the lead, despite the Rangers bunching a few base hits and a couple of ground outs for three runs in the seventh.  When J.J. Putz coaxed Frank Catalanatto to pop out to first- thus sparing another showdown against Josh Hamilton with the game on the line- Safeco was a buzzing with thousands of happy Mariners fans, delighted that the home team took the first game of the four game series by a 7-3 score, and putting a halt to the team’s five-game losing streak.

There are many good reasons to feel confident after the M’s pasting of the Rangers last night.  Besides the timely hitting and roughing up the team’s ace, the Mariners played flawless defense, with some sparkling plays provided by Yuniesky Betancourt.  The team also had a dominating start from Jarrod Washburn, who limited the Rangers on one hit through six innings before being removed from the game due to right calf tightness after 87 pitches.  Still, his six-inning outing was good enough to stop a personal three-game losing streak, as well as to pick up his first win at Safeco since last June.

Still, not to be Debbie Downer and rain on anybody’s parade, but I would want to point out that the last time the Mariners scored seven runs in a victory, beating the Indians 7-2 a week ago that indicated the Mariners were shaking off their offensive doldrums, it took them four games to score as many runs.  Hopefully, that run of offensive futility will not be repeated.

The Mariners look to continue their run-scoring ways against Sidney Ponson, who the Rangers have plucked from under the rock he’s been hiding and inserted him into their starting rotation.  Tonight will be Ponson’s first start against the Mariners in almost two years, in which the Mariners jumped out to an early 3-0 lead thanks to a three-run funk blast by Richie Sexson with Ponson making his debut in Yankee pinstripes.  Ponson has dropped four of six career decisions against the M’s, carrying a 4.84 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 74 innings.  Sexson in particular has enjoyed facing Ponson, batting nearly .500 (12 hits in 25 at-bats), and making the most of each of those hits, including three doubles, four home runs, and 12 RBIs.  With a .563 average (9 hits in 16 at-bats), Ichiro has also been very successful against Ponson’s offerings, and should do a good job setting the table to be knocked in by Sexson in tonight’s game.  Ponson did just come off an eight inning, one-run performance in his last start, but that was against the Kansas City Royals, whose offense it appears will be working in fits and spurts.  Kind of like the Mariners’.

Miguel Batista will take the hill for the M’s, facing the Rangers for the first time since picking up a save against Texas in the third game of the season.  Batista tossed seven innings of one-run ball in his last start, settling for a no-decision against the Indians which would’ve been a sure-fire win if he was on the roster of any other major league team.  Batista owns a 4-3 career record against the Rangers, with a 4.37 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in nearly 56 innings, and limited Texas to one run over eight innings in a start against them last September.  Other than Michael Young, who has eight hits and two doubles in 20 at-bats, few Rangers hitters have given Batsita much trouble.

Still, I’m skeptical of yesterday’s offensive explosion a portent of things to come.  It’s hard to imagine that a match-up between Sidney Ponson and Miguel Batsita resulting in a pitching match-up, but that’s my call for this evening.  The match-up is too close for me to pick a winner, and instead I’m going to claim that tonight’s game will be decided by the teams’ bullpens.  Which never seems to work out in the Mariners’ favor.