It began when one rookie, Anthony Vasquez, finally decided to trust his pitches and ended with another, Steve Delabar, controlling his emotions and his fastball.
In between, the Seattle Mariners were held to one run by the Kansas City Royals, who scored twice to win it, 2-1, splitting a four-game series at Safeco Field.
The difference? A ball left fielder Mike Carp lost in the sun with two outs in the third inning, allowing it to fall for a gift double that scored the first Royals run.
And now?
Now the Mariners play the American League East-leading New York Yankees three games, then the American League West-leading Texas Rangers three more.
Uh-oh.
After striking out 16 times Saturday night, Mariners hitters struck out 13 more Sunday afternoon, the combined equivalent of 92/3 innings without making contact.
Yes, Virginia, that’s an issue.
“That’s a lot of strikeouts,” manager Eric Wedge acknowledged. “We’re being aggressive, where we were too passive early in the season. We’re up there looking to hit. As these guys learn to swing at more hittable pitches, they’ll be more productive with their swings.”
The Mariners managed six hits but did little with them until the eighth inning. Then, trailing 2-0, veteran catcher Josh Bard singled and Wedge replaced him with pinch-runner Michael Saunders.
Saunders was still at first with two outs for Ichiro, who’d gone 0-for-3. In the eighth, however, he lined a double into right field and Saunders came all the way around for Seattle’s only run.
It wasn’t much, but it was as many as the Royals earned.
Vasquez, a finesse pitcher who has had little luck in his first three starts trying to pitch out of character, started this game determined to be himself. Fastballs at 88 mph inside on the hands, change-ups and breaking balls from 69-74 mph spotted down.
“I finally executed my own plan,” Vasquez said. “It was definitely my best outing. I had good tempo, found a good rhythm, pitched to my strengths.”
Through six innings, Vasquez trailed 1-0, the only run allowed coming on that pop fly lost in the sun. In the seventh, he allowed a leadoff single, then bobbled a sacrifice bunt for an error and left with two on and none out.
Shawn Kelley got out of that inning allowing one run. Rookie Chance Ruffin worked an easy eighth and, after the Mariners scored, rookie Delabar made his major league debut in the ninth.
“That’s been my role all season at every level,” Delabar said.
That would include, since extended spring training, Class A, Class AA and Class AAA in the Mariners system. And now, at 28 and coming off a fractured elbow, the big leagues.
“He was real good in his first game – three hitters faced, three outs and two of them by strikeout,” Wedge said. “I was glad to get him in there today.”
With good reason.
Coming into Safeco Field tonight is a team that, unlike the Royals, isn’t really on a level the Mariners are comfortable with.
Seattle (61-85) is in fourth place, where it will probably finish 2011.
The Yankees (88-57) are headed for the postseason and perhaps a World Series berth.
The Mariners’ learning curve may get sharper this week, but Wedge and his team are ready.
“We’re playing tough, close games, and we’ve got a lot of young guys learning on the job,” Wedge said. “You see them improving. Vasquez was better in his last start and better again today.
“Shawn Kelley came in, got out of a jam and gave us the chance to win the game. Chance Ruffin, Steve Delabar – these guys are showing us they can pitch at this level.”
The offense?
Well, Ichiro picked up his 168th hit, meaning he needs 32 more – in 16 games – to reach the 200-hit plateau. He’s batting .275.
Dustin Ackley dropped a bunt single, but cleanup hitter Carp had a tough day at the plate, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. The box score will say Justin Smoak had a 1-for-4 day, but it will lie.
“He lined two balls that were caught, just squared them both up,” Wedge said.
Smoak’s first line drive was caught by diving shortstop Alcides Escobar. His second, with one man on in the fourth, was grabbed by diving outfielder Alex Gordon – who caught it and then helped turn it into a double play by catching Ackley off first.
It was that kind of afternoon, and a Safeco Field crowd of 20,951 sat patiently waiting for the offense to do something, cheering for Ichiro’s double and Delabar’s introduction.
Other than that, they were about as quiet as the Mariners’ bats.
larry.larue@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners
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