Notebook: Mariners make the most of a relay and a replay

OAKLAND, Calif.– Happy Felix Day. Happy day after Happy Happ Day. Have I lost you yet, Clevesside?

For the pregame show today I put together a feature about the game-saving relay play in the bottom of the 10th inning of the Mariners’ win over the A’s Saturday afternoon. From my vantage point, which was about eight stories up and almost directly over home plate, it was a beautiful sight.

The players were still fired up about it after the game, and I caught up with a number of the participants to get their take on it. From the play off the wall by Austin Jackson to the throw by Brad Miller to the scoop by Mike Zunino there was plenty of good to go around. That good was made even better by Aaron Goldsmith’s radio call, which also can be heard on the feature.

So much good in last night’s game. One thing that I still can’t get over is the challenge call at second base by Lloyd McClendon. The speed in which the decision was made to challenge the play was remarkable. From the reaction at second base by the fielder, McClendon had a good idea that the foot may have missed the base. The play was not smooth, and it was in McClendon’s mind that perhaps that disqualified it from being a neighborhood play, which cannot be challenged.

“The way it was explained to us in spring training is if there is an errant throw then the neighborhood play is out,” he said after the game. “That throw didn’t take him to the bag, it took him away from the bag. He had to reach back and then come back and try to step.”

Immediately after the play McClendon told bench coach Trent Jewett to ask Chris Prieto, who reviews video during games, to give it a look. Prieto confirmed that the foot was not on the bag and McClendon made the challenge. After a 3:28 replay delay the call was overturned and Austin Jackson was sent back to second base.

The ruling was a surprise for many – in fact McClendon admitted after the game he did not know if it would go his way. I talked to an umpire over the offseason about the neighborhood play and he told me that in the simplest terms a play has to be perfect for him to see it as a neighborhood play. Basically the throw has to take the fielder to the bag. We didn’t see that yesterday and the correct call was eventually made, but a big assist goes to McClendon.

One last thing from yesterday’s win I would like to point out before we get to lineups is a realization I had on the pregame show roundtable segment. Not only did the Mariners get the win in Game 2 but they took away a victory on Oakland’s win day. Sonny Gray on the hill is to Oakland what the Mariners have today with Felix taking the ball. The Mariners took a win away with their No. 5 pitcher J.A. Happ on the hill, which is always good, and even better when it is against the rival’s ace. Good stuff.

Lineups!

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