Miller Time Salami= a Mariners Win

The Oakland Athletics entered yesterday's game needing to win to gain home field advantage through out the playoffs, but thanks to Brad Miller that is not going to happen. Brandon Maurer was sent out to the mound to try and get maybe the last win of the season for the Mariners, but as everyone remembers Maurer didn't have a good track record pitching against this high powered and talented Athletics team. Maurer entered Saturday's game having a career 1-2 record with a 6.75 ERA in 12 innings pitched against them, including the 6 run pounding the A's gave him in his major league debut back in April. 

Maurer wasn't thinking about that yesterday. Maurer got the first two batters out in the top of the first then after giving up a single to Jed Lowrie got Brandon Moss to fly out to end the inning, the Mariners though went 1-2-3 in their half of the first inning. In the bottom of the second inning though things changes, after Raul Ibanez drew a walk Justin Smoak launched a towering pop up that got enough carry to go over the fence for his career high 20th home run of the season and put the M's up 2-0 on the A's young ace Jarrod Parker. The A's though would get one back the following inning, after a pair of hits by Stephen Vogt and Eric "Rally Specs" Sogard Coco Crisp drove in the A's first run with a long sacrifice fly to Dustin Ackley in center. Thankfully though Maurer was able to get the next two batters out to get out of what could have been a big inning for the A's.

The bottom of the third got off to both a good and bad start, Nick Franklin lined a ball down the right field and after a bad bounce Franklin took off for third and on the relay from Josh Reddick to Sogard, to Josh Donaldson Nick was thrown out trying for a lead off triple. Brad Miller though sent the first pitch he saw into the right center field tunnel to put the Mariners lead to 3-1. Miller would strike another blow to Parker's outing with a grand salami in the bottom of the fifth inning to put the Mariners lead up to 7-1. 

Jed Lowrie started off the top of the inning with his 45th double of the season, after Brandon Moss grounded out Alberto Callaspo singled to right driving in Lowrie from third and the A's cut the lead to 7-2, Erik Wedge saw enough and came out to relieve Maurer and brought in the always reliable Charlie Furbush. Once again Charlie came through as he got Chris Young to strikeout and Nate Freiman to ground out to end the inning. In the top of the seventh, the A's struck again this time for three runs but against Chance Ruffin. Ruffin got roughed up for two home runs one of which one was caught by the biggest Ichiro fan the Mariners ever had. Ruffin didn't finish the inning, instead Lucas Luetge finished the inning off by getting the third out. Finally in the ninth Danny Farquhar went 1-2-3 striking out two in the process in getting his 16th save of the season. 

So this may have been the final win of the season for the Mariners if so the M's will finish off the season 71-91, but today I'm hoping for one more win. The M's send out Erasmo Ramirez out for the final game of the season for the Mariners. It's been a tough season for the Mariners and once again fans will have to watch a Mariner-less playoffs. So, what does the next 6 months see for the Mariners? Next year these players will be managed by someone other then Erik Wedge as he announced on Friday that he will not return as the Mariners manager next season. 

Before I end this blog I would like to wish all teams in the playoffs good luck, and yes even the A's.