Mariners fall short vs. Nationals

WASHINGTON -- The heat and humidity at RFK Stadium on Friday night played a big role in right-hander Joel Pineiro departing after six innings. But the elements played no part at all in what happened to the Mariners in the seventh and eighth innings.
Walks, walks and more walks decided the outcome in the opener of a three-game Interleague series.

Seattle has had one of the most dependable bullpens in the Major Leagues this season, but three relievers couldn't protect a one-run lead Pineiro gave them as the sizzling Nationals took advantage of five walks to score six runs in the eighth inning and hand the Mariners a 9-3 loss before 28,704.

It was the first time a team from the state of Washington faced a MLB team from Washington, D.C., since Aug. 10, 1969, when the Seattle Pilots beat the Washington Senators, 7-5, at RFK Stadium. The Pilots moved to Milwaukee the following season and the Senators moved to Arlington, Texas, prior to the 1972 season.

"Through seven innings, we played and pitched a good game," manager Mike Hargrove said. "In the eighth, we couldn't throw strikes, plain and simple. We couldn't throw strikes."

That wasn't a major problem for Pineiro, who entered the game with the lowest career ERA (1.97) in Interleague Play history among pitchers with at least 10 starts.

But finding the strike zone was a major dilemma for right-hander Shigetoshi Hasegawa (1-2). He faced seven batters, walked three of them (one intentionally), and surrendered a tie-breaking single to Brian Schneider. Left-hander Matt Thornton walked the first two batters he faced, forcing in runs each time.

"Matt has thrown strikes for the most part all year for us," Hargrove said, "but he had trouble finding the strike zone tonight. Once he did, he was effective. But it wasn't pretty before he got there."

The beauty of this game, at least in the Mariners' eyes, was the way Pineiro handled the National League East-leading Nationals in his attempt to end the team's seven-game winning streak, and the hitting of first baseman Richie Sexson. Sexson singled home the first of two runs in the fourth inning and hit a monster home run into the upper deck in left field for another, his 14th of the season.

Sexson's offense was the primary reason Pineiro turned a 3-2 game over the bullpen.

"That was different weather than Seattle," understated Pineiro. "Sure, I'm from Florida and Puerto Rico, but I haven't pitched there in a long time, and I'm not used to [the heat and humidity]."

Pineiro said there still was some gas left in his tank after throwing 80 pitches. But the elements -- along with three left-handed batters due to bat in the seventh inning -- were reasons for the Mariners to turn the remainder of the game over to the relievers.

"I talked to B.P. [pitching coach Bryan Price] after the [sixth] inning and he asked me how I felt. I told him I could go back out there, but do what is best for the team."

Before Pineiro could catch his breath, the Nationals tied the game off Ron Villone on a two-out infield "single" by pinch-hitter Marlon Byrd. Mariners shortstop Mike Morse fielded the ball, couldn't get a grip on it, and then threw late to first base. Pinch-runner Junior Spivey, acquired early in the day in a trade with the Brewers, scored from third base and Byrd was credited with a hit.

"That was a tough play, a do-or-die play," second baseman Bret Boone said. "He would have had to come up and made a good throw. If he does that and gets him out, then it's a terrific play."

Villone was charged with his fourth blown save of the season.

"The relievers have been good for us, they really have, especially Ronnie," Hargrove said. "It was not typical of him to walk a leadoff hitter [Baerga] like that, a guy hitting .125 right-handed."

But it was the next inning that settled this game.

Hasegawa left a slider up and Jose Guillen drove it into center field for a single. Hasegawa then walked Nick Johnson before a sacrifice bunt advanced both runners into scoring position. An intentional walk to Spivey loaded the bases before Schneider singled past Sexson, who had to play in to keep the go-ahead run from scoring.

"We got into a situation where you have to do things with your infield to keep the team from scoring and it really opens up holes in your defense," Hargrove said. "We were forced into that and he [Schneider] just snuck it by [Sexson]."

Then came a two-strike suicide squeeze bunt that worked so well it became a base hit and three consecutive walks.

Source: http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/