Mariners at Oakland Athletics: Sept. 7, 2010 game thread

Doug Fister got into more trouble in the fifth and it cost him two runs. Seattle still leads, 6-2, after a two-run single by Kurt Suzuki put Oakland on the scoreboard.
The inning began with a walk to Cliff Pennington and a singlefootball jerseys
by Rajai Davis. After a foul popout, Suzuki singled and Jack Cust walked on Fister's 88th pitch to put two on with one out. It was only at that point that manager Daren Brown got Garrett Olson up in the bullpen. But Olson wasn't needed, with Fister getting a Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
flyout to center by Mark Ellis and then a ball to the base of the left field fence hit by Jeff Larish.
Brown is breathing a sigh of relief after that one, no doubt. The M's have won the game of inches tonight and that ball was a few feet away from making this a 6-5 game as Olson tried to get warmed up.
I'd say we've seen the last of Fister tonight. Also, the last of Indianapolis Colts jersey
Dallas Braden, as Jerry Blevins has come on to replace him.

Mariners 7, Athletics 5: Seattle avoids tying dubious team record

Seattle survives a nervous ninth inning, with three runs allowed by Brandon League. The A's put the tying run on with two out, but David Aardsma came on and retired Cliff Pennington on a flyout to left.
The Mariners entered this game having gone 11 nfl jerseys
straight contests without scoring at least four runs. One more game like that would have tied the club mark set back in 1988.
No worries about that tonight, as the M's notched a season-high seven hits in the second inning -- many of them on bloopers, seeing-eye grounders and a dropped ball in the outfield. That's the way baseball goes sometimes.
On defense, the M's came out ahead in the game of Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
inches and feet as well.
With two on, two out in a 6-2 game in the fifth, Kurt Suzuki drilled one to the wall in left. But the ball landed in Matt Tuiasosopo's glove. On another night, maybe it leaves the park and the M's go on to lose. Not tonight.
One key to this win, given what happened Dallas Cowboys jersey
later, was a solid two innings of relief from Garrett Olson after taking over in the sixth from a shaky Doug Fister.

Franklin Gutierrez will sit out tonight's game and try to use off-day to recover

Franklin Gutierrez, not surprisingly, was scratched from tonight's lineup and Michael Saunders inserted in his place. This comes after he was pulled in the third inning of last night's game when he began hyperventilating. Gutierrez had a stomach ailment -- something likened to the cheap nfl jerseys
flu -- last weekend, but the team says it's more of a respiratory thing now.
So, it could be that "flu" or whatever it is, working its way upwards. We've had some cooler weather here and the big temperature change can make people feel under the weather.
When I spoke to Gutierrez before batting practice this afternoon, he still wasn't sure what the problem is now or was over the weekend.
"Was it the flu?'' he said. "I don't even know that. I don't know what the problem is.''
Gutierrez said he felt better today and could be available for pinch-hit or pinch-running duty later on. He said he was planning to see a doctor again today after the A's team physician examined him last night.
This type of hyperventilating/shortness of Indianapolis Colts jersey
breath has never been an issue for Gutierrez before and he said he'd like to get to the bottom of it.
"Right now, I just don't know anything,'' he said.
Mariners manager Daren Brown said it's unlikely Gutierrez will see any action tonight.

Houston (65-73) at Chicago (60-79)

After a couple of mediocre seasons capped by an injury-plagued 2009 with Philadelphia, Brett Myers(notes) is enjoying a bit of a renaissance with the Houston Astros.
Although Myers is emerging as a staff ace, he’s always pitched like football jersey
one against the Chicago Cubs.
Myers tries to continue his dominance over the Cubs and lead the Astros to their 13th victory in 17 games in Wednesday’s finale at Wrigley Field.
Myers (10-7, 3.02 ERA) has become the face of Houston’s staff following the trade of Roy Oswalt(notes) to the Phillies in July. His ERA is more than a full run below his career average of 4.21, and he has lasted at least six innings in all 28 of his starts—the longest streak in team history and longest in the majors since Curt Schilling’s(notes) run of 35 straight for Arizona in 2002.
Myers allowed three runs in six innings, but failed to get a decision in Friday’s 4-3 loss to the Diamondbacks. Still, he seems to be getting stronger as the season progresses, going 5-1 with a 2.20 ERA in his last 11 starts.
While Myers looks like a new pitcher in an Astros uniform, he probably looks the same to Chicago (60-79).
The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA in three outings against the Cubs this Minnesota Vikings jersey
year, and 7-0 with a 2.36 ERA in his last eight starts against them. He also seems to be right at home at Wrigley Field, going 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in four career starts there.
The Astros (65-73) won 7-4 on Tuesday for their fifth victory in seven games on Chicago’s North Side.
Houston has won 12 of 16 overall, and Michael Bourn(notes) has been instrumental to that surge.
Bourn had three hits, three RBIs, scored twice and stole a base Tuesday. He’s batting .381 with seven RBIs, 14 runs and eight steals in his last 16 contests.
“The last couple of games he’s been outstanding,” Astros manager Brad Mills(notes) said of Bourn, who’s hitting .357 with 10 runs and a .451 on-base percentage in his last 11 games against Chicago.
The Cubs, who won 5-4 in Monday’s opener, are 9-5 under interim manager Mike Quade. The club hasn’t dropped back-to-back games with Quade at the helm and could win three straight series for the first time this year with a victory Wednesday.
Quade is unsure if he’ll play shortstop Starlin Castro(notes), who is batting .433 in his last seven games, in the finale. The rookie was benched for a second straight game Tuesday for not knowing how many outs there were in the seventh inning of Sunday’s 18-5 loss to New York.
“He’s had a couple of good days and has done a lot of Indianapolis Colts jersey
extra work and has had some time, so we will see,” Quade said. “I asked him to get about his business, you don’t want have this wind up as time off with nothing gained.”
Quade will give the ball to Randy Wells(notes) (6-12, 4.56), who gave up four runs, eight hits and four walks in 5 2-3 innings of a 7-6 win over the Mets on Friday, but didn’t get a decision.
The right-hander has recorded a 7.36 ERA in losing both starts against the Astros this season after going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in three outings last year.

Cincinnati (79-59) at Colorado (74-64)

The Cincinnati Reds appear headed toward a division title. Carlos Gonzalez(notes) is doing all he can to get the Colorado Rockies into the playoffs.
He may also end up being the first Triple Crown winner in 43 years as a result.
Gonzalez looks to extend his career-high hitting streak when the rolling Rockies host nfl jersey
the Reds Wednesday night at Coors Field.
Cincinnati (79-59) has a six-game lead on second-place St. Louis in the NL Central despite losing three in a row, including the first two games of this series.
Colorado (74-64) isn’t afforded the same luxury. The Rockies are third in the West, 3 1/2 games behind second-place San Francisco, which is one game back of San Diego.
Colorado trails Atlanta by 4 1/2 games for the wild card.
Gonzalez is a major reason why the Rockies have an opportunity to reach the playoffs for a second consecutive season.
The center fielder is batting .525 with seven homers and 21 RBIs during a career-best 15-game hitting streak, helping Colorado go 11-4 during that stretch. He connected for a three-run homer in Colorado’s 4-3 win over the Reds on Tuesday night.
Gonzalez’s career year could result in him becoming the majors’ first Triple Crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski with Boston in 1967. St. Louis’ Joe Medwick was the last to do it in the NL in 1937.
Gonzalez leads the league in hitting (.340) and RBIs (100) and is tied with Arizona’s Mark Reynolds(notes) and Cincinnati’s Joey Votto(notes) for third in homers (32). Albert Pujols(notes) leads the NL with 35 home runs.
“What we’re watching and witnessing right now offensively, obviously for Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
a kid in the early stage of his career that he’s in, it’s something special. There’s no question about it,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said.
Votto is also bidding for the Triple Crown with a .321 average and 98 RBIs. The first baseman is 2 for 6 in this series.
Gonzalez is 4 for 8 against Bronson Arroyo(notes), the Reds’ scheduled starter.
Arroyo (14-9, 3.84 ERA) gets a third chance to match his career high in wins for a third consecutive season.
The right-hander has lost consecutive starts with a 4.15 ERA, and struggled early in his most recent outing Friday. He allowed three runs in the first two innings before throwing four scoreless frames in a 3-2 loss at St. Louis.
Despite that loss, Arroyo has won six of eight road starts behind a 2.04 ERA, completing seven innings in six of those outings.
He pitched well in his most recent start at Colorado, allowing two runs over seven innings before leaving without a decision in a 4-3 loss Sept. 9 of last year.
Arroyo is 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA in his last five starts overall against the Rockies.
Colorado gives the ball to Aaron Cook(notes) (5-8, 5.21), who is looking to win a second consecutive start after spending a month on the disabled list with a sprained right big toe.
The right-hander gave up two runs and four hits in 6 1-3 innings of Minnesota Vikings jersey
a 4-3 win at San Diego on Friday, hours after being activated from the DL. He had lost his previous three starts while compiling a 13.97 ERA.
Cook is 3-0 with a 3.29 ERA in seven starts versus the Reds. He was superb in his latest outing against them July 18, scattering six hits in seven innings of a 1-0 win at Cincinnati.
Cook, though, hasn’t fared well against Votto, who is 5 for 12 with a homer off him.

Lincecum fans 11, Giants hit 3 homers in 6-3 win

PHOENIX (AP)—San Francisco’s push to make the playoffs has gained some serious momentum—Tim Lincecum(notes) is back to his old self.
The ultra-lanky right-hander was almost perfect through six innings and three Giants homered Tuesday night in a 6-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
San Francisco has won four straight and six of nfl throwback jerseys
seven, keeping up the pressure on San Diego in the NL West. The Giants remained a game behind the first-place Padres, who beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1, and moved within one game of Atlanta, which leads the wild-card standings.
Lincecum, winner of the NL Cy Young Award the last two seasons, struck out 11 in 6 2-3 innings. He gave up three runs in the seventh, but before that he was, as teammate Freddy Sanchez(notes) said, “electric.”
“He got some balls up there that last inning, but without question that was quite a job he did there,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “That’s the Timmy that we know.”
Lincecum (13-9) called it his best stuff since his 13-strikeout performance against Florida four months ago. He retired his first 12 batters and 17 of the first 18. The only Arizona baserunner in that span was Miguel Montero(notes), who singled with one out in the fifth.
“It starts just taking over,” Lincecum said. “You start not thinking too much and things just start happening second nature and on their own. I got in that rhythm today early on in the first inning and just took it into the rest of the game.”
The Diamondbacks finally broke through in the seventh. Lincecum gave up three runs and five hits with no walks.
“Don’t be fooled by the fact he isn’t pitching 96 (mph) anymore,” Arizona interim manager Kirk Gibson said. “He gets all his pitches over. He knows how to pitch.”
Lincecum has won two in a row since an awful August, when he Indianapolis Colts jersey
went 0-5 with a 7.82 ERA.
“When you see that he’s throwing like that early on, I think it lifts the whole team,” Sanchez said. “He had his good stuff working today. He was electric.”
Sanchez, Aubrey Huff(notes) and Pat Burrell(notes) homered off Barry Enright(notes) (6-3), who blanked the Giants through seven innings late last month.
Since closer Brian Wilson(notes) had pitched three days in a row, Jeremy Affeldt(notes) came on and induced a game-ending double play for a one-pitch save. It was his fourth of the season.
Chris Young homered for the Diamondbacks in a game that took just 2 hours, 16 minutes—Arizona’s shortest of the year.
Lincecum had a 6-0 lead before faltering in the seventh. Kelly Johnson(notes) led off the inning with a triple and Young followed with his 24th home run.
Lincecum fanned Adam LaRoche(notes), then Montero singled. Brandon Allen(notes) struck out for the third time, but Tony Abreu’s(notes) RBI triple to left-center cut the lead to 6-3 and ended Lincecum’s night.
Enright had not allowed more than three runs in any of his first 12 major league starts since he was called up from Double-A Mobile. The Giants, though, scored that many in the first inning off the 24-year-old right-hander, two on Huff’s 23rd home run.
After three scoreless innings, the Giants got a solo homer from Sanchez in the fifth and a two-run shot from Burrell in the sixth.
Andres Torres(notes) opened the game with a double. With one out, Huff hit Enright’s first pitch deep into the seats in right field. Buster Posey(notes) followed with a shot that traveled some 415 feet and hit high off the wall in center for a double. He scored on Jose Guillen’s(notes) two-out single off the bullpen fence in left.
“They were aggressive,” Enright said. “Torres swung at the very first pitch. San Diego did that to me the last start and I think a lot of teams knowing I will be around the plate will do that as well. It is an adjustment I will have to make.”
Enright entered with the second-best ERA in the majors (2.45) among rookies with a minimum of 12 starts, trailing only Jaime Garcia’s(notes) 2.35 for St. Louis. The three homers were the most he had allowed in a game.
Notes: Lincecum is 43-3 when the Giants score at least Dallas Cowboys jersey
three runs for him. … The Chase Field roof was open for the first time since June 11. … The Diamondbacks were without 3B Mark Reynolds(notes) because of a bruised right hand. … The Diamondbacks said an MRI on OF Justin Upton’s(notes) sore left shoulder showed no significant damage. … San Francisco 3B Pablo Sandoval(notes) got the night off. … Arizona recalled OF Cole Gillespie(notes) from Triple-A Reno, his third stint with the team this season.

Oregon's new scoreboard is humongous

When Matthew Knight Arena opens its doors to Oregon in January, the building itself is supposed to be sparkling while the team is in rebuilding mode.
But Dana Altman better have his team ready to perform because the nfl jerseys
Ducks are about to have their every move (and blemish) showcased on one of the largest high-definition scoreboards around.
The main scoreboard was put in earlier this week, and KMTR-TV needed time-lapse video of its infrastructure being raised since the interlocking "O" was so heavy it could only be lifted about six feet per minute. The specs of the things are staggering.
On Monday, crews used a 75,000 pound pulley to lift the Detroit Lions jersey
scoreboard into place. When it's all said and done, it'll be 3-stories tall, 36-feet wide, and weigh more than 60,000 pounds. The university says fans should love the finished product.
The finished scoreboard will have four HD video screens with nearly two million LED’s. Each diode is six millimeters apart, making it the highest resolution screen in the NCAA.
And the price tag?
KVAL-TV reports that all the scoreboards in Denver Broncos jersey
the arena will cost about $6 million combined.