SB Nation Seattle: All Posts by Bill Hanstockhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48997/seattle-fave.png2012-10-02T22:34:39-07:00https://seattle.sbnation.com/authors/bill-hanstock/rss2012-10-02T22:34:39-07:002012-10-02T22:34:39-07:00Mariners romp in penultimate game
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Seattle Mariners</a> have a chance to capture their final series of 2012 in front of the Safeco Field faithful on Wednesday. The Mariners evened up their three-game series against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Los Angeles Angels</a> on Tuesday night with a 6-1 win.</p>
<p>The Mariners were in control for pretty much the entire game. Seattle took an early lead with a two-out solo home run from <span>Kyle Seager</span> in the bottom of the first inning. The homer was the 20th of the year for Seager.</p>
<p><span>Michael Saunders</span> added a two-run double in the fourth to make it 3-0 Seattle. In the fifth, <span>John Jaso</span> hit an RBI single and Saunders hit another RBI double to stretch the lead out to 5-0 for the home team. <span>Jesus Montero</span> contributed the final Mariners run in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single that scored Jaso.</p>
<p>The Angels did not get on the board until the top of the ninth, when Howie Kendrick drove home <span>Andrew Romine</span> on a single with two outs.</p>
<p><span>Hisashi Iwakuma</span> was great in his final start of the year, improving to 9-5 after allowing no runs on six hits and one walk in six innings of work, striking out seven along the way.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/seattle-mariners/2012/10/2/3447680/mariners-vs-angels-final-score-recapBill Hanstock2012-10-01T22:40:24-07:002012-10-01T22:40:24-07:00King Felix falters in final start of 2012
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Seattle Mariners</a> didn't get a chance to play spoiler after all as they opened their final series of the year against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Los Angeles Angels</a> on Monday night. <span>Felix Hernandez</span> was torched for seven runs as the Angels rolled to an 8-4 victory at Safeco Field. Although the Angels were eliminated from playoff contention thanks to an <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Oakland Athletics</a> win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> during the game, the Mariners are hoping they can still salvage a series win to close out the 2012 season.</p>
<p>The Angels jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning on an Albert Pujols RBI double and RBI singles from <span>Mark Trumbo</span> and <span>Howie Kendrick</span>. <span>Casper Wells</span> got one of those runs back for the Mariners in the bottom of the first on a Casper Wells home run.</p>
<p>In the top of the fourth, <span>Mike Trout</span> hit an RBI single to make it 4-1 Angels. Los Angeles broke the game wide open in the sixth, as Trout drove in two runs with a triple and came in to score on a single from <span>Torii Hunter</span>, making it 7-1. The Mariners were able to score three runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh on a <span>Justin Smoak</span> double, a fielding error by Kendrick and an RBI single from <span>Trayvon Robinson</span> that made it 7-4.</p>
<p>The Angels added one final run on an RBI double by Kendrick in the top of the ninth.</p>
<p>Hernandez lasted just 5.1 innings, giving up seven runs on 12 hits and three walks, striking out seven but taking the loss in his final start of the year.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/seattle-mariners/2012/10/1/3442108/mariners-vs-angels-final-score-recapBill Hanstock2012-10-01T06:01:44-07:002012-10-01T06:01:44-07:00Bats come to life as Seattle evens final series
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<figcaption>Otto Greule Jr - Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Mariners have a chance to win their final series of the season. They'll host their last 2012 game on Wednesday.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/seattle-mariners/2012/10/1/3436394/mariners-vs-angels-tv-time-lineup-probable-pitchers-scoreErnie PominBill HanstockPeter WoodbrookKevin ZimmermanRonald ClarkMichael Jones2012-10-01T06:01:39-07:002012-10-01T06:01:39-07:00King Felix can play King Spoiler
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<figcaption>Otto Greule Jr - Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Seattle Mariners have a chance to eliminate the Angels from the postseason. Felix Hernandez takes the mound in the final series of the season.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Seattle Mariners</a> return home on Monday to kick off the final series of the 2012 season. They'll host the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Los Angeles Angels</a>, who still have a glimmer of hope for reaching the postseason, but their elimination number stands at 1. With the next Angels loss or <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Oakland Athletics</a> win, the Angels will be eliminated. The Mariners will send their staff ace to the mound in front of a rabid Safeco Field crowd and the King's Court in hopes of officially ending the October dreams of their American League West rivals.</p>
<p><b>TV Schedule & Probable Pitchers</b></p>
<p>Monday's game will begin at 7:10 p.m. PT and will be televised on ROOT Sports. You can catch the radio broadcast on ESPN 710. <span>C.J. Wilson</span> gets the start for the Angels, entering the game with a 12-10 record and a 3.86 ERA. He'll face <span>Felix Hernandez</span>, who is 13-8 with a 2.86 ERA.</p>
<p>First pitch on Tuesday will be at 7:10 p.m. PT and the game will be televised on ROOT Sports. You can catch the radio broadcast on ESPN 710. <span>Dan Haren</span> is at 12-12 and will try to prevent ending the season with a losing record. His opponent will be <span>Hisashi Iwakuma</span>, who is 8-5 with a 3.32 ERA.</p>
<p>Wednesday's season finale will get started at 3:40 p.m. PT and will be televised on ROOT Sports. You can catch the radio broadcast on ESPN 710. <span>Jered Weaver</span> closes out the season in a bid for his 21st victory as he concludes his bid for the Cy Young Award. He will go up against Blake Beavan, who heads into the final game of the year with a 10-11 record and a 4.68 ERA.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/seattle-mariners/2012/10/1/3436374/mariners-vs-angels-series-preview-tv-schedule-probable-pitchersBill Hanstock2012-09-30T16:28:55-07:002012-09-30T16:28:55-07:00Mariners couldn't spoil unrefrigerated milk
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Seattle Mariners</a> and starter Erasmo Ramirez held the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Oakland Athletics</a> to just a few hits over the first seven innings of Sunday's series finale, but their bullpen once again faltered in the late innings. The A's picked up a 5-2 win as the M's were swept at O.co Coliseum.</p>
<p><span>Yoenis Cespedes</span> hit an RBI triple in the top of the first inning and came in to score on a sacrifice fly from Brandon Moss as the A's took a 2-0 lead. Ramirez held the Oakland batters down after that, as Kyle Seager and <span>Justin Smoak</span> each hit RBI singles in the third inning to tie the game up.</p>
<p>Oakland finally got to the Mariners bullpen and took the lead in the bottom of the eighth, when Cespedes hit a home run to put Oakland on top 3-2 and <span>Josh Reddick</span> blasted his 32nd home run of the year; a two-run shot that just hooked around the right field foul pole.</p>
<p>Ramirez held the A's to two runs on three hits and four walks in 6.1 innings, but will wind up with another no decision in the Mariners loss.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/seattle-mariners/2012/9/30/3434736/mariners-vs-athletics-final-score-recapBill Hanstock2012-09-28T22:09:00-07:002012-09-28T22:09:00-07:00Mariners aren't spoiling anything
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Seattle Mariners</a> were once again unable to open a potential spoiler series with a win. On Friday night, they dropped the first game in a three-game series against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Oakland Athletics</a> by a final score of 8-2.</p>
<p><span>Coco Crisp</span> led off the bottom of the first with a home run to give the A's an early lead. <span>Trayvon Robinson</span> answered back with a solo homer of his own in the top of the second to tie things up.</p>
<p>Oakland went back ahead in the bottom of the third with another home run, this time a two-run shot from <span>Stephen Drew</span>. Brandon Moss added an RBI groundout in the bottom of the fifth to make it 4-1 <span class="sbn-auto-link">Athletics</span>.</p>
<p>The Mariners loaded the bases with two outs for <span>Justin Smoak</span> in the top of the sixth inning, but Smoak hit a fly ball out to right field to end the threat.</p>
<p><span>Michael Saunders</span> led off the top of the seventh with his 18th home run of the season to cut the Oakland lead to two runs. The A's were able to get that run back in the bottom of the seventh when <span>Stephen Pryor</span> issued a bases-loaded walk to Yoenis Cespedes. Another run came home on a fielding error by <span>Dustin Ackley</span> and <span>Josh Donaldson</span> drove in a pair of runs with a single to make it 8-2 A's and firmly put the game out of reach.</p>
<p>The Mariners showed signs of life in the top of the ninth as Smoak led off the inning with a single and Saunders followed up with a walk. Robinson then struck out and <span>Brendan Ryan</span> and Ackley both popped out in foul territory to end the rally and the game.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/seattle-mariners/2012/9/28/3426634/mariners-vs-recaps-final-score-recapBill Hanstock2012-09-28T06:00:51-07:002012-09-28T06:00:51-07:00Mariners decide not to spoil things, get swept
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<figcaption>Thearon W. Henderson - Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Mariners were trying to play spoiler in the East Bay. They instead got swept by the homer-happy A's.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/seattle-mariners/2012/9/28/3419850/mariners-vs-athletics-tv-time-probable-pitchers-scoreBill HanstockErnie PominPete Holby2012-09-28T06:00:46-07:002012-09-28T06:00:46-07:00Seattle tangles with Oakland one last time
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<figcaption>Stephen Dunn - Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Mariners will have one last chance to spoil Oakland's season as they meet up with their old nemeses in the East Bay. Can they knock the A's out of the Wild Card?</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Seattle Mariners</a> will kick off their penultimate series of the 2012 season with a three-game set against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Oakland Athletics</a> at O.co Coliseum on Friday. The A's are just two games up on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Los Angeles Angels</a> in the American League Wild Card race and the Mariners have a chance to play spoiler to their division rivals. Sure, it would be to the benefit of their <i>other</i> division rivals, but you can't look a gift spoiler in the mouth.</p>
<p>Can the Mariners manage to finish their season strong and give fans some final reasons to cheer?</p>
<p><b>TV Schedule & Probable Pitchers</b></p>
<p>Friday's game will begin at 7:05 p.m. PT and will be televised on ROOT Sports. You can catch the radio broadcast on ESPN 710. <span>A.J. Griffin</span> will get the start for the A's and will enter the game with a 6-1 record and 2.80 ERA. He'll take on <span>Blake Beavan</span>, who is 10-10 with a 4.64 ERA.</p>
<p>Saturday's game will get started at 1:05 p.m. PT and will not be televised locally. You can catch the radio broadcast on ESPN 710. <span>Dan Straily</span> will put his 2-1 record and 3.60 ERA up against Jason Vargas, who is currently 14-11 with a 3.94 ERA.</p>
<p>Sunday's finale will kick off at 1:05 p.m. PT and will be televised on ROOT Sports. You can catch the radio broadcast on ESPN 710. <span>Tom Milone</span> tries to finish his season strong, as he will enter the game with a 13-10 record and 3.74 ERA. His opponent will be Erasmo Ramirez, who holds a record of 1-3 with a 3.42 ERA.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/seattle-mariners/2012/9/28/3419768/mariners-vs-athletics-series-preview-tv-schedule-probable-pitchersBill Hanstock2012-09-27T16:07:20-07:002012-09-27T16:07:20-07:00Mariners clip Angels' wings in series finale
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Seattle Mariners</a> successfully avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Los Angeles Angels</a> on Thursday afternoon in Anaheim. More than that, the M's were able to prevent the Angels from taking advantage of an <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Oakland Athletics</a> loss earlier in the day and moving to within a game of the second Wild Card spot.</p>
<p><span>Vernon Wells</span> hit an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning to give the <span class="sbn-auto-link">Angels</span> an early lead. In the top of the fourth, <span>John Jaso</span> hit a two-run homer to put the <span class="sbn-auto-link">Mariners</span> on top, 2-1. <span>Alberto Callaspo</span> hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to tie things up, 2-2, but Seattle would reclaim the lead in the top of the fifth when <span>Casper Wells</span> scored on a <span>Franklin Gutierrez</span> groundout.</p>
<p>The Mariners finally broke through in the top of the seventh with a big four-run inning. <span>Garrett Richards</span> issued a bases-loaded walk to <span>Trayvon Robinson</span> and gave up a single to <span>Kyle Seager</span> that scored Wells and made it 5-2 Mariners. Seattle was not finished in the inning, as <span>Jesus Montero</span> lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score <span>Dustin Ackley</span> and John Jaso drove in Robinson with a double.</p>
<p><span>Howie Kendrick</span> roped a two-out, two-run double down the left field line off of Josh Kinney in the bottom of the eighth inning to bring the Angels to within three runs of the lead. The Mariners got those runs right back in the top of the ninth, however, as Dustin Ackley scored on a sacrifice bunt and throwing error by <span>LaTroy Hawkins</span> and Montero hit an RBI double to push the Seattle lead back out to 9-4.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/seattle-mariners/2012/9/27/3419844/mariners-vs-angels-final-score-recapBill Hanstock2012-09-26T22:17:19-07:002012-09-26T22:17:19-07:00M's can't get the job done for King Felix
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Seattle Mariners</a> put up another valiant fight against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Los Angeles Angels</a> on Wednesday night. Unfortunately, not even a quality start from <span>Felix Hernandez</span> was able to hold up, as the Mariners dropped the second game of the three-game series by a final of 4-3.</p>
<p>The Angels opened up the scoring in the bottom of the second inning on a two-run double by <span>Erick Aybar</span>. The Mariners tied things up in the top of the third on an RBI single from <span>Brendan Ryan</span> and a sacrifice fly from <span>Franklin Gutierrez</span>.</p>
<p><span>Justin Smoak</span> hit his third home run in two days in the fourth inning to put the Mariners on top, 3-2. It was the 19th homer of the season for Smoak, who continues to be great in September and ... less-great ... in other months. That home run put Hernandez in line for the win, but the bullpen was unable to hold the lead.</p>
<p>With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, <span>Torii Hunter</span> dropped a flare into right field that scored the tying run.</p>
<p><span>Maicer Izturis</span> led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to right. A wild pitch by Stephen Pryor allowed Izturis to take second base and Bourjos bunted him over to third. The Mariners intentionally walked Mike Trout to pitch to Hunter, who lined a single to right field for the walk-off win.</p>
<p>Hernandz ended up with six innings pitched, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out nine.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/seattle-mariners/2012/9/26/3416010/mariners-vs-angels-final-score-recapBill Hanstock