For those of you that don't live out here on the West Coast, you were asleep when it happened. That's right folks, that's the manual scoreboard from Safeco Field last night. The Mariners worked together to NO-HIT the team with the best record in baseball.
As I sat on my couch last night I decided to watch the game since I don't get to see the Dodgers very often. While Kevin Millwood has been up and down at best for the M's, I thought there was a chance for the hometown 9 since they weren't facing one of the top of the rotation guys. Millwood actually looked like he was special last night right out the gate. Kevin was perfect through 4 innings, but walked Juan Rivera to start the 5th. No big deal the no hitter was still intact. Kevin got out of that inning and cruised in the 6th. The replays look like he did something on the final strikeout of the 6th, and after the first warm up toss in the 7th he was done. There was a small scare with an error and a runner on 2nd in the 7th inning, but wiggle off the hook did the Mariners. In the bottom of the 7th the M's get two on, and my choice for the Mariners All Star this year gets a single off the shortstop's glove to give Seattle a 1-0 lead.
Two walks and a sacrifice fly get the Dodgers in business with 1 out and runners at 2nd and 3rd. Somehow the bullpen comes through and gets out of the inning with a little help by "Donkey" Chone Figgins making a nice catch in left. It was then "closing time for the Bartender" Tom Wilhelmsen. Tom throws 9 pitches, gets the 3 outs and the Mariners make history. Was Dee Gordon out on the play in the 9th? I still can't say for sure, but I guarantee you the umpire didn't want to be roasted like Jim Joyce for a close call either way in the last inning.
The Mariners combined to use six pitchers to get the no-no, and because Millwood didn't get the decision because of the right groin strain it went to an unlikely guy. Just one week ago on June 1st the Mariners called up rookie Stephen Pryor from AAA Tacoma. Because Pryor got the final out in the top of the 7th inning, his first MLB win comes in the form of a no hitter. Let's see what the Mariners can put together tonight against Clayton Kershaw. GO MARINERS!!!
Gordon was probably safe in the 9th.
ReplyDeleteThe way that game went last night I wouldn't be surprised if there was a no-hitter tonight, too.
Interleague games are so weird.
The way our fortunes have gone this year it wouldn't surprise me to see Kershaw throw a no-no versus us tonight to reciprocate the favor from last night.
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