M's 4, Athletics 3

Last Seattle game of 2008

......R...H...E
SEA...3...10..1
OAK...4...10 .1

Box score

Game story in the morning.

A nightmare Mariners season had barely just ended, and Raul Ibanez was already talking about how he'll help a teammate try to better himself next year.

Ibanez puts himself through a series of torturous workouts just north of his Miami-area home each winter. This offseason, he'll be bringing along shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, who had the decisive two-run triple in the team's final 2008 game.

Betancourt struggled at the plate and in the field throughout much of 2008 and was one of several reasons the Mariners, touted as contenders, wound up losing 101 games. The biggest question Ibanez faces after the Mariners wrapped up the season with a 4-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday is whether he'll stick around to help this franchise pick up its shattered pieces.

"I love this franchise, I love the fans here, I love the city," Ibanez said. "We'll see what the future holds. Sure, I'd love to be here, but I'd love to be in a competitive environment."

Ex-Rattlers for the Mariners
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 0-for-4, RBI
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-4
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 1-for-3, RBI
Rob Johnson ('05): 0-for-4
Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-4, run
Cesar Jimenez ('03): 1/3IP, H, 0R
JJ Putz ('00): IP, 0H, 0R, 3K, Save #15

Seattle ends 2008 61-101

M's 7, Athletics 3

Saturday's Mariner game

......R...H...E
OAK...3...10..1
SEA...7...8...0

Box score

Game Story

As his young starter closed his case for a starting job on the day before the nightmare ended, catcher Kenji Johjima continued to make use of every second left in this season.

No Mariner finished 2008 better than Ryan Rowland-Smith, who pitched another quality start, his eighth straight, in a 7-3 victory over Oakland on Saturday and left little doubt in the Mariners' minds that he deserves a spot in the rotation next season.

But his veteran catcher has given the organization something to think about, too. Johjima's three-run homer finished off a six-run first inning for the Mariners, their best first inning in more than five years.

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 0-for-4, run
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-4, run, 2 RBI
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 0-for-3
Rob Johnson ('05): 0-for-3
Ryan Rowland-Smith ('03): 6-2/3IP, 9H, 3R, 2BB, 5K, Win (5-3)

Sunday's Mariner game:
OAK: Josh Outman (1-1)
SEA: RA Dickey (4-8)
3:10pm CDT

M's 10, Athletics 8

Last night's Seattle game.

......R...H...E
OAK...8...9...0
SEA...10..14..0

Box score

Game story

But instead of contending for a division title, the Mariners club that beat Oakland on Friday, behind two home runs from Jose Lopez and another from Rob Johnson, has the worst record in the majors.

A crowd of 24,662 at Safeco Field watched Morrow leave the game down 6-5 after five innings, having allowed six hits, five walks and a pair of rocket home runs to Jack Cust and Travis Buck.

But Morrow, who threw 114 pitches, kept the game close by striking out eight. Seattle then erupted for five runs off A's starter Sean Gallagher and reliever Jerry Blevins in the bottom of the inning to give Morrow the victory.

Ex-Rattlers:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 1-for-5, run, RBI
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 0-for-1, pinch-hitter
Luis Valbuena ('06): 3-for-4, 2 runs, RBI
Rob Johnson ('05): 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Mark Lowe ('05): 3IP, 2H, R, BB, 3K

Saturday's Game:
OAK: Greg Smith (7-15)
SEA: Ryan Rowland-Smith (4-3)
3:10pm CDT

Angels 6, M's 4

Last night's Seattle game

......R...H...E
LAA...6...11..1
SEA.. 4...8...0

Box score

Game story

Mariners closer J.J. Putz was trying to keep the game tied when he faced Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero with a runner on first base and one out.

Guerrero swung at the first pitch, a fastball that was darting in on his hands, swung mightily and somehow had the strength to hit the ball over the left-field fence for a home run that saddled the Mariners with a 6-4 loss in front of 16,939 at Safeco Field.

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 1-for-4, RBI
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-3, RBI
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 1-for-3
Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-4
Caesar Jimenez ('03): 3-2/3IP, 2H, R, 3BB, No decision
JJ Putz ('00): IP, 2H, 2R, BB, 2K, Loss (6-5)

Tonight's Seattle Game:
OAK: Sean Gallagher (5-6)
SEA: Brandon Morrow (2-4)
9:10pm CDT

Angels 6, M's 5

......R...H...E
LAA...6...16..1
SEA...5...12..0

Box score

Game story

It was another magical baseball night in Seattle — the first use of instant replay at Safeco Field since the system was instigated by Bud Selig on Aug. 28.

Less magical, from the Mariners' standpoint, was the finalization of their 100th defeat on Wednesday, making them the sport's first team with a $100 million payroll to reach triple digits in losses.

They are now sitting forlornly at 58-100 after their 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The Angels, driving toward 100 victories, picked up No. 98, with Mark Teixeira's solo homer off Mark Lowe with two outs in the eighth breaking a 5-5 tie.

Ex-Rattlers:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 0-for-4
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 0-for-4
Bryan LaHair ('04): 2-for-3, run, RBI
Luis Valbuena ('06): pinch runner
Rob Johnson ('05): pinch runner
Felix Hernandez ('03): 6IP, 13H, 5R, 4ER, 3BB, 4K
Mark Lowe ('05): 2IP, 3H, R, 3K, Loss (1-5)

Tonight's Seattle game:
LAA: Dustin Moseley (2-4)
SEA: Caesar Jimenez (0-2)
9:10pm CDT

M's 9, Angels 6

Tuesday's Mariner game:

......R...H...E
LAA...6.. 10..1
SEA...9...13..1

Box score

Game story

"It's good to shake hands, and it's good to have J.J. [Putz] out there with a three-run lead," said Reed, who had two of his team's 13 hits. "It just all comes together. It's about time we got some breaks."

A 13th straight loss seemed near certain going into the bottom of the sixth. The Mariners trailed by four.

That's when Seattle came up with four runs on three singles followed by RBI doubles for Wladimir Balentien and Kenji Johjima. Johjima's hit, one of his three to go with three RBI, knocked in Balentien and Reed with two out to tie the score at 6 and chase Angels starter Jered Weaver.

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 1-for-4, 2 runs, RBI
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-4, 2 runs, 2RBI
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 1-for-4
Luis Valbuena ('06): 0-for-3
Ryan Feierabend ('04): 3-2/3IP, 7H, 5R, 3BB, 3K No decision
JJ Putz ('00): IP, 0H, 0R, K, Save #14

Wednesday's game:
LAA: Jon Garland 14-8
SEA: Felix Hernandez 9-11
9:10pm CDT

Angels 2, M's 1

Last night's Seattle game

......R...H...E
LAA...2...10..0
SEA...1...5...1

Box score

Game story

Ryan Rowland-Smith was good. Again. Only Ervin Santana was better.

Santana's pitching and a costly error in the seventh inning sent the Mariners to their 12th straight loss: 2-1 to the Los Angeles Angels Monday night, leaving Seattle one away from the dreaded 100 on the season.

Santana retired 17 of the last 18 hitters he faced — his only blemish a Matt Tuiasosopo single in the fourth — and Francisco Rodriguez retired the Mariners in order in the ninth to run his major-league record for saves in a single season to 61. Santana (16-6) allowed just five hits and struck out nine, outdueling the Mariners' Rowland-Smith before 19,717 on a brisk evening at Safeco Field.

Ex-Rattlers:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 0-for-4, RBI
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 1-for-3
Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-3, run
Rob Johnson ('05): 1-for-3
Ryan Rowland-Smith ('03): 7IP, 8H, 2R, ER, BB, 6K, Loss, (4-3)
JJ Putz ('00): IP, H, BB, 2K

Athletics 5, M's 3

Mariner game 9/21

......R...H...E
SEA...3...7...0
OAK...5...4...0

Box score

Game Story

The Mariners sent Brandon Morrow to the mound Sunday for his fourth major-league start, hoping he could derail what stood to become the second 0-11 road trip in franchise history. In a season punctuated by disappointment, futility and all-around embarrassment, the promise of better things to come is personified in the 98-mph fastball and devastating power curve thrown by their former No. 1 draft pick.

Morrow delivered beyond what was expected in carrying a one-hitter and three-run lead into the seventh inning. But a few too many walks and a bullpen now as porous as any in the league proved his undoing in a 5-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics that sealed Seattle's winless road trip.

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 0-for-4, 4Ks
Bryan LaHair ('04): 0-for-4, 2Ks
Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-3, run, BB

Tonight's Mariner game:
LAA: Ervin Santana (15-6)
SEA: Ryan Rowland-Smith (4-2)
9:10pm CDT

Athletics 8, M's 7

Seattle's 9/20 game:

......R...H...E
SEA...7..11...2
OAK...8..12...0

Box score

Game story (added):

But ultimately, the biggest impact by a youngster, one the Mariners could have done without, came when infielder Luis Valbuena was called out by third-base umpire Bill Miller on what appeared to be a leadoff triple in the ninth. Instead, Valbuena's second extra-base hit of the day went for nought and the Mariners continued their nose-dive into oblivion.

"I was very surprised because it wasn't close," said Valbuena, a Venezuelan who began the year at Class AA, was promoted to AAA and is being thrust into action here these final days so the team can figure out where it stands, infield-wise.

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 0-for-4
Bryan LaHair ('04): 1-for-1, HR, 2 RBI, 3 BBs
Luis Valbuena ('06): 2-for-3, run
Caesar Jimenez ('03): 2IP, 2H, 2R, 0BB, 3K
Justin Thomas ('06): 1-2/3IP, 4H, R, 0BB, K

Sunday's game:
SEA: Brandon Morrow (2-4)
OAK: Sean Gallagher (5-6)
3:10pm CDT

A's 2, M's 0

Friday's Mariner game:

......R...H...E
SEA...0...9...1
OAK...2...6...2

Box score

Game story

Not even Felix Hernandez could help the Mariners avoid a ninth straight loss, his team's impotent offense stranding eight base runners in the first five innings and 11 total. Travis Buck opened the scoring with a solo home run off Hernandez in the fourth and Kurt Suzuki drove in a second run on a single to give A's starter Dana Eveland all the support he'd need.

"I can't do anything about that," Hernandez said after Seattle ran its scoreless-innings stretch to 26, the third-biggest drought in team history. "I can't feel frustrated ... we're going to score another run sometime."

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 1-for-3
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-3
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 0-for-3 (3K)
Rob Johnson ('05): 0-for-3
Bryan LaHair ('04): 1-for-1 pinch-hitter
Luis Valbuena ('06): pinch runner
Felix Hernandez ('03): 8IP, 6H, 2R, BB, 8K, Loss (8-11)

Saturdays' Seattle Game:
SEA: Carlos Silva (4-15)
OAK: Kirk Saarloos (1-0)
3:05pm CDT

Royals 12, M's 0

Thursday's Mariner game:

......R...H...E
SEA...0...3...0
KC....12..13..0

Box score

Game story added:

The Mariners never had a chance and dropped their eighth straight game in a 12-0 loss at Kauffman Stadium.

"The game kind of speaks for itself," Riggleman said. "We really couldn't do anything against [Zack] Greinke today, and the second time through they got Ryan and that's pretty much the story."

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-1
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 0-for-3
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 0-for-1
Rob Johnson ('05): 0-for-1
Bryan LaHair ('04): 0-for-3
Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-3
Ryan Feierabend ('04): 3-1/3IP, 6H, 8R, 3BB, 2K, Loss (1-4)
Mark Lowe ('05): IP, H, 0R, BB, K

Friday's Mariner Game:
SEA: Felix Hernandez (9-10)
OAK: Dana Eveland (8-8)

Royals 5, M's 2

Last night's Mariner game

......R...H...E
SEA...2...8...1
KC....5...7...0

Box score

Game story

Ichiro's 200th hit this season came in fitting fashion Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium. He beat out a ground ball to Royals shortstop Mike Aviles in the top of the eighth inning. It takes a few infield hits to reach 200 hits eight straight seasons.

...

As it turned out, Wednesday night's game was all about streaks. What Ichiro accomplished should be celebrated. The Mariners losing 5-2 for their seventh straight loss is a stretch to be forgotten.

And the Royals will certainly remember their current six-game winning streak. They haven't had too many of those in the past five years. In fact, this is just their second.

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 1-for-4
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 0-for-3
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 0-for-3
Luis Valbuena ('06): 0-for-3
Ryan Rowland-Smith ('03): 6IP, 3H, R, 4BB, K, No decision

Ex-Rattler for Kansas City:
Gil Meche ('98): 7IP, 6H, 2R, 3BB, 7K, Win (12-11)

Today's Mariner game:
SEA: Ryan Feierabend (1-3)
KC: Zach Greinke (11-10)
1:10pm CDT

Royals 6, M's 3

Last night's Seattle game:

......R...H...E
SEA...3...7...0
KC....6..11...0

Box score

Game story

The Mariners delivered some bad news a couple innings into a scoreless game Tuesday night, and it had nothing to do with action taking place at Kauffman Stadium.

In fact, rookie right-hander Brandon Morrow had allowed just one hit to that point before a four-run fifth inning did him in and led to a 6-3 loss to the Royals, the Mariners' sixth straight defeat.

But what Morrow was doing on the mound was secondary to the announcement that left-handed starter Erik Bedard will undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder Sept. 26. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum.

Ex-Rattlers:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 0-for-4
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 0-for-4, 3K
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 0-for-3
Rob Johnson ('05): 0-for-3
Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-2
Cesar Jimenez ('03): IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 2K
JJ Putz ('00): IP, 0H, 0R, 2K

Mariner Game Tonigh:
SEA: Ryan Rowland-Smith (4-2)
KC: Gil Meche (11-11)

A couple of ex-Rattler pitchers face each other on the mound tonight in KC.

Royals 3, M's 0

Last night's Seattle game:

......R...H...E
SEA...0...4...1
KC....3..12...1

Box score

Game story:

Carlos Silva turned in his best performance in two months, and it wasn't nearly good enough to halt the Mariners' losing streak.

Silva needed to be close to perfect Monday evening against the Royals to break into the win column for the first time since June 28.

Instead, the Royals slapped seven singles and a double against Silva in 5-1/3 innings at Kauffman Stadium. It added up to just two runs.

But two runs were too many as the Mariners lost for the fifth straight time, falling 3-0.

Ex-Rattlers for the M's:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 0-for-3
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 0-for-3
Luis Valbuena ('06): 0-for-3 (3Ks)
Mark Lowe ('05): 2/3IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
Justin Thomas ('06): 0.0IP, H, 0R, 0BB, 0K

Tonight's Mariner game:
SEA: Brandon Morrow (2-3)
KC: Brandon Duckworth (2-1)

Angels 4, M's 3

Sunday's Seattle game:
......R...H...E
SEA...3...9...0
LAA...4..10...1
Box score

Game story

The Mariners are getting awfully tired of watching the Angels cavort.

In the process of getting swept four games at Angel Stadium, they witnessed two red-tinged celebrations for milestone saves by Francisco Rodriguez, and two mob scenes at home plate to commemorate walkoff victories.

A party of the latter variety broke out Sunday when Chone Figgins drove the first pitch he saw from Roy Corcoran off the base of the right field wall, bringing home rookie Sean Rodriguez from third base.

Ex-Rattlers for the M's:

Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 1-for-5, run
Bryan LaHair ('04): 0-for-3, RBI
Felix Hernandez ('03): 7IP, 8H, 3R, 4BB, 3K, No decision

Monday's Seattle Game
SEA: Carlos Silva (4-14)
KC: Kyle Davies (6-7)

Angels 5, M's 2

Last night's Mariner Game:

......R...H...E
SEA...2...9...1
LAA...5..10...0

Box score

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 0-for-2
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 2-for-5, run
Rob Johnson ('05): 1-for-3
Luis Valbuena ('06): 0-for-3
Ryan Feierabend ('04): 5IP, 7H, 4R, 2BB, 4K, Loss. Now 1-3

Game Story:

"We just want to see Luis [Valbuena] play as much as we can without abandoning [Jose Lopez's] at-bats," Riggleman said. "I still think he's going to play a lot of second base for us, this year and in the future."

That being said, the club needs to find a first baseman next year. Bryan LaHair has not seized the position, and there are no announced plans to try Jeff Clement there.

Sunday's Seattle Game:

SEA: Felix Hernandez (9-10)
LAA: Ervin Santana (15-6)

Angels 5, M's 3

Last night's Seattle game

......R...H...E
SEA...3...9...0
LAA...5...5...1

Full Boxscore

Ex-Rattlers:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 2-for-4, RBI, run
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-3
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 0-for-3, 2K
Ryan Rowland-Smith ('03): 6-1/3IP, 4H, 3R, 2BB, 3K, No Decision

Game story:

In nine starts this year, Rowland-Smith has a 3.96 earned-run-average. This was the fifth straight start he has worked into the seventh inning. And if he had his druthers, he would have tried to work out of his own mess in the seventh.

"I'm just trying to be consistent and go as deep as I can," he said. "It's tough to come out, especially in a situation like that. I really wanted to stay in."

The game winning homer was hit by former Cedar Rapids Kernel Mike Napoli in the bottom of the ninth.

Angels 7, M's 4

Last night's Mariner game:

M's: 4
Angels: 7
Box Score

Game Story

The Mariners have 57 wins. The Angels have 57 losses. Francisco Rodriguez of the Angels -- who wears No. 57 -- now has 57 saves.

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 1-for-3
Bryan LaHair ('04): 0-for-4
Rob Johnson ('05): Pinch runner, run
Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-4
Justin Thomas ('06): 2 batters faced, H, BB, run
Mark Lowe ('05): IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K

Tonight's Pitchers:
SEA: Ryan Rowland-Smith (4-2)
LAA: Joe Saunders (15-7)
9:05pm CDT

M's 8, Rangers 7

Yesterday's Seattle game:

TEX 7
SEA 8

BOX SCORE

GAME STORY:

This latest mound adventure, courtesy of injured starters Carlos Silva and Jarrod Washburn, saw the Mariners trying to get work for some of their rusty relief pitchers rather than turn to an innings-eater like R.A. Dickey.

They got three good ones from Cesar Jimenez, building a 4-0 lead in the process. But that vanished in the span of four batters in the fifth when Cruz and Teagarden teed off on Jared Wells. Ibanez hit his second double of the game to start a two-run rally and put Seattle up 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth, but Jake Woods yielded a two-run blast in the sixth on the only pitch he threw.

Also...Congratulations to JJ Putz ('00). For both getting back healthy and for moving up the career saves list in Seattle:

"I feel pretty good right now," said Putz, whose 99th career save passed Mike Schooler for second on the team's all-time list. "I'm able to throw all the pitches for strikes. Unfortunately, it's September right now. It might have been nice to throw all of the pitches in April."

Ex-Rattlers in the game:
Cesar Jimenez ('03): 3IP, H, 0R, 2BB, 4K
JJ Putz ('00): IP, 0H, 0R, K, SAVE
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 4-for-5, 3RBI
Matt Tuisasopo ('05): 2-for-4, RBI
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-3, run, 2 BB

Ramon Vazquez ('97) was 0-for-1 as a pinch-hitter for Texas in the ninth against Putz.

Tonight's Seattle Game:
Mariners: Brandon Morrow (0-1)
Angels: Jared Weaver (10-10)
9:05pm CDT

Rangers 7, M's 3

Seattle lost at home to Texas last night and their record dropped to 56-87.

Ex-Rattlers in the game:
Felix Hernandez ('03): 4.1IP, 6H, 6 R, 4BB, 3K (Losing pitcher)
Mark Lowe ('05) .2IP, 2H, R, 2K

Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 1-for-4
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 0-for-4
Bryan LaHair ('04): 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
Rob Johnson ('05): 0-for-3

Seattle Times story: "Nothing was there, nothing," a head-shaking Hernandez said of one of his worst outings all year. "Not my command, my pitches, nothing."

Today's game:
TEX: Kevin Millwood (9-8)
SEA: Cesar Jimenez (0-2)
3:40pm CDT