ANGELS CAN'T FILL IN BLANKS MARINERS' BATISTA SHUTS DOWN L.A.Byline: DOUG PADILLA Douglas ("Doug") Padilla (born October 4, 1956 in Oakland, California) is a former middle and long distance runner from the United States, who won the overall Grand Prix 1985 and the World Cup 5000m race in 1985. Staff Writer SEATTLE -- The Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Mariners have played in Safeco Field. went headhunting headhunting Practice of removing, displaying, and in some cases preserving human heads. Headhunting arises in some cultures from a belief in the existence of a more or less material soul that resides in the head. in their bid to move closer to the American League West The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Lead. If Monday's first game between the Angels and Mariners in nine weeks was any indication, it should be a hard-fought battle for the division to the very end. For the Angels, all hope at victory in the series opener literally whizzed by their ears. A comebacker that nearly hit Kelvim Escobar Kelvim Jose Escobar Bolivar [ess-coe-BAR] (born April 11, 1976 in La Guaira, Venezuela) is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2004-present). He bats and throws right handed. in the right ear and a bad- hop single that almost hit Casey Kotchman Casey John Kotchman (born February 22, 1983 in St. Petersburg, Florida) is a Major League Baseball first baseman for Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He hit his first Major League home run on August 5 2005. In 47 games in 2005, Kotchman had 7 home runs and 22 runs batted in. on the right cheek were all the run-scoring hits the Mariners needed in a 2-0 victory. The Angels tore apart Detroit Tigers pitching all weekend to the tune of 34 runs in three games, but Mariners starter Miguel Batista had all the answers. The right-hander didn't allow a run and gave up just four hits in seven innings with no walks and two strikeouts. Reggie Willits had two hits off Batista, but everybody else was practically silent against the right-hander. Vladimir Guerrero had a two-out infield single in the first inning and Jeff Mathis had an infield single to lead off the third. Mathis' hit was followed by one from Reggie Willits to give the Angels their best scoring chance of the night. But Chone Figgins struck out swinging and Orlando Cabrera flew out to center for the second out. Vladimir Guerrero then crushed a low line drive to left field that carried long enough for Raul Ibanez to catch off the top of the grass. Manager Mike Scioscia came out to argue the out call made by third-base umpire Dana DeMuth, but television replays showed Ibanez did in fact make the catch. After Willits' third-inning single, Batista retired 15 of the last 16 Angels batters he faced, allowing just Willits' bloop bloop Baseball n. A blooper. tr.v. blooped, bloop·ing, bloops To hit (a ball) into the air just beyond the infield. adj. Hit just beyond the infield. single to right-center in the fifth. Angels starter Kelvim Escobar also pitched well, allowing two runs on eight hits in a complete game. But in what has become a theme for the Angels, if not the rest of the American League, there was simply no stopping Ichiro Suzuki yet again. Suzuki had three hits and scored one of the Mariners' runs while driving in the other.I t hardly mattered then that the one time they retired Suzuki it was on a rare double-play grounder. Suzuki's second hit came in the third when he lined a ball into the right-center field gap. It easily went for a triple as Vladimir Guerrero was playing straightaway straight·a·way adj. 1. Extending in a straight line or course without a curve or turn. 2. Unhesitating; immediate: a straightaway denial. n. in right field but Gary Matthews Jr. was shaded to left-center. Jose Vidro followed with a line drive up the middle that nearly hit Escobar in the head as he completed his follow through. Cabrera, at short, instinctively raised his hands to his head as if trying to help Escobar protect his head. In the seventh inning, Kenji Johjima hit a one-out single down the right- field line. Yuniesky Beatencourt put runners on first and second with a two-out single. That brought up Suzuki, who hit a bouncer toward Casey Kotchman at first base. But as the ball hit the dirt Verb 1. hit the dirt - fall or drop suddenly, usually to evade some danger; "The soldiers hit the dirt when they heard gunfire" hit the deck move - move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion; "He moved his hand slightly to the right" some 10 feet in front of Kotchman it took a high hop and got by him over his right shoulder and just past his right ear. doug.padilla@sgvn.com (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2731 TODAY Angels (Lackey 12-6) at Seattle (Weaver 2-9), 7p.m., Safeco Field. TV:FSN (Full-Service Network) A communications network that provides shopping, movies on demand and access to databases and a variety of interactive services. West CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Angels right fielder Vladimir Guerrero chases down a single by Seattle's Kenji Johjima in the fifth inning. (2) Mariners starter Miguel Batista allowed just four hits in seven innings Monday to earn his 11th win of the season. Elaine Thompson/Associated Press |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion