Mariners “Sweep” Padres, Prepare To Face Padres
The Seattle Mariners swept the San Diego Padres! Wow, what a crazy two games those were. Next up the M’s get on a plane and head south to face the San Diego Padres for an intense two-game set. Maybe they’ll sweep them, too!
Okay, so depending on how you look at it maybe the Mariners just won the first two games of a four-game set against the Friars. These split series things are so strange and unfamiliar, so I can hardly blame myself for having no idea how to talk about them. Let’s call it a sweep. Two game sweep, so as to not ruin things if they lose tomorrow. If they win the next two, then that’s two two-game sweeps and a four-game sweep. Which is eight straight wins, practically! As best I understand it, the Mariners could play four games and win eight. I think I’m doing this right.
Look on over at American League run differentials. As we all know, run differential isn’t the perfect stat – there is no perfect stat. A lot goes into run scoring and prevention that has nothing to do with a team’s talent level, but it’s certainly not meaningless. At the top of the pile are the Oakland Athletics, as usual, who have enjoyed an exponential lead in this category all season. Typically you take the A’s differential, divide by four, and are left with the second-best team. Right now the second-best team is the Mariners. At +37, they’re tied with Toronto, so it’s not like second place is all theirs. But! There’s only one team in front of them. That’s the amazing part. Only one team ahead of them, and it’s June 17th.
Roenis Elias saw what Chris Young did yesterday and one-upped it in stupendous fashion. Rene Rivera, the former M’s backup from way back when who hits sixth for these Padres, smoked a bizarrely enormous solo home run in the second inning. That was one of only three hits Elias allowed while walking none in seven innings. He added in six strikeouts, just to remind us that he’s awesome. Roenis Elias is too damn good. It’s still so wild that we’ve even heard of him.
The offense was powered by a trifecta of three-run hits, including homers from unexpectedly unexpexted sources. The first of those came in the bottom of the second, a dinger off the bat of starting first baseman Jesus Montero. Did you ever think you’d see Montero in the big leagues again, let alone with the Mariners, let alone contributing? He got exactly the Eric Stults change he was looking for and drove it deep to left. Surreal to see, but then again I guess he was a top prospect based exclusively on his power. Montero, by the way, was replaced by Logan Morrison late in the game. So that was a real defense-first move that was made in real life.
Robinson Cano homered again! His two-run shot was also off of Stults, who allows the most homers of anyone. This one was obvious off the bat, and it’s such a relief that Billy Hamilton no longer has more home runs this year than Cano. James Jones scored on the play, and Jones had himself a nice little three hit game in which he also stole a base and kept opposing pitching off balance all day. Kyle Seager had a two-run double, and is better than Mike Trout. Oh, what’s that you say, Trout’s the best baseball player in the world? Whatever, I like Seager more. Kyle Seager friggin’ rules.
Felix Hernandez vs. Andrew Cashner tomorrow. 7:10pm, Petco Park. Cashner’s really good, Felix is the literal best, and this is the first game to be played in San Diego since the passing of Tony Gwynn. Are you ready to watch ace pitchers and maybe cry? I’m ready to watch ace pitchers and maybe cry. Again, this is a game with the M’s, Pads, and several good reasons to watch. The M’s are back to rallying for playoff position, and the King’s on the mound. Don’t miss this one.