The Detroit Tigers seemed desperately intent on having the Seattle Mariners pull ahead and win their fifth-straight ball game Sunday (April 18). But despite the Tigers stranding 12 base-runners, the M's wouldn'êt oblige, missing several late-inning scoring opportunities and losing 4-2.
But sometimes you win even when you lose. The 6-7 M's, after all, took both of their initial home series and they can look forward now to three against the moribund Orioles. Baltimore's 8-3 win in Oakland Sunday was just the second triumph this season for the nearly appropriately named O's.
The M's, meanwhile, looked lively for much of their first week at home. Saturday's 4-2 win was particularly entertaining given that Ichiro Suzuki came to the plate in the eighth with a shot at slapping a home run to add to his single, double and triple and becoming just the fourth Mariner to achieve the hitting "cycle." Those who have witnessed Ich line balls over the right-field wall during batting practice are aware that his 84 American League dingers scarcely have been flukes (he's perennially mentioned as a competitor during the home-run derby at the All Star game).
After two weeks of league play, team officials needn't yet be stretching their gazes south to see if there's any help available at triple-A Tacoma. If they did, two names probably would pop up first. Starter Garrett Olson gave up just one hit in five innings Saturday against Salt Lake City. Josh Wilson, aka the shortstop named Wilson who isn't Jack, at last glance was 14 for 40: .350. And Seattle has an infield roster spot available if you believe Mike Sweeney (a hit in 10 at-bats) is a bench-warming luxury the club can't afford.
In any case, the other three teams in Seattle's division aren't exactly begging comparison with the '27 Yankees (or even the '01 Mariners). If the M's can keep winning series, they promise to stay in the A.L. West race for the long slog through summer.
