Breaking out the brooms and other Mariners notes
Jul 4, 2013, 7:24 AM | Updated: 10:30 am
By Gary Hill
A few Independence Day notes:
Break out the brooms
The Mariners are going for a sweep in Arlington for the first time since 2002. The M’s took four in a row in Texas in April of that year.
Ruben Sierra went 9 for 16 in the series for the M’s. He hit a grand slam in one game and went 5 for 5 in another.
The Mariners returned to Texas later in the season and swept the Rangers again in a brief two-game series. The Rangers returned the favor and swept the Mariners in the final four-game series in Texas between the two teams in 2002.
Kyle Seager
• Last three games: 6 for 13, 2 HR, 4 RBI.
• Previous five games: 1 for 23, 1 HR.
• Career in Arlington: .361, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 11 2B (most homers and doubles at any opposing ballpark).
• Career homers at Safeco Field: 9 in 595 plate appearances.
• At Rangers Ballpark: 4 in 88 plate appearances.
Justin Smoak
•Since coming off the disabled list he is hitting .309 (13 for 42) with three home runs, five RBIs and seven walks.
Jason Bay
• On Wednesday he hit his 11th home run of the season, all of them solo shots. Ian Desmond of Washington was the last player to reach all-solo double-digit homers (10) in a season (2010). The record for most homers in a season being all solo was set by Ken Singleton of Baltimore in 1975 with 15. Singleton took Catfish Hunter (twice), Jim Perry (twice), Jim Kaat and Dennis Eckersley deep during that season. Strangely, six of his homers in a row came in a 0-0 game.
• Bay never hit more than 12 home runs in three years with the Mets.
• Five of Bay’s homers have been hit in the seventh inning while three have been hit in the first.
Tom Wilhelmsen
• Last five games: 4 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
In honor of the day here is the All Independence Day Team:
SS, Jason Bartlett
2B, Nick Franklin
DH, Reggie Jefferson
1B, Matt Adams
CF, Garry Hancock
C, Jimmie Wilson
LF, Hal Morris
RF, Bubba Morton
3B, Earl Williams
P, Bob Wolcott
