Game 162 Matters for the Seattle Mariners and the 2014 Postseason

With a grounded fielder’s choice to 2nd base in the 11th inning, Austin Jackson drove in the walk-off winner against the Angels. The Mariners are 1 game back of the Oakland Athletics with 1 game to play.

After 5.2 innings of 1 run ball by rookie James Paxton, the Mariners turned the game over to the best bullpen in the American League. They did not disappoint: pitching 5.1 scoreless innings, giving the M’s a chance to go out and win it.

The Oakland Athletics lost 5 to 4 against the Rangers earlier in the evening, leaving the 2014 postseason door barely cracked open for the Mariners.

In the 9th inning the Mariners had an opportunity to win it with the bases-loaded and no one out. Brad Miller struck out looking on a low-ish pitch. Then Chris Taylor struck out swinging. With Austin Jackson in a 3-0 count, he took two inside pitches that looked to clearly be balls. Both were called strikes and then Jackson flew out to right center field.

The Mariners kept knocking in extras, and finally broke through in the 11th with the runners on the corners and one-out for Jackson.

Even though it wasn’t pretty, Jackson drove in the most important run of the Mariners season.

The 2014 postseason is still possible: if the M’s win and Oakland loses, they play a one-game tiebreaker in Seattle to decide who would play in the Wild Card play-in game (either in Kansas City or Detroit).

This has been a wild ride Mariners fans. The M’s have been in the postseason hunt for 161 straight games.

162 matters too, with King Felix Hernandez on the mound. A little scoreboard love is necessary to give the M’s a shot.

But mind you this: the Mariners aren’t going anywhere.

Box Score:

LA Angels	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Calhoun, RF	4	0	0	0	0	1	3	.273
Beckham, G, 3B-SS	2	0	1	0	0	0	1	.227
Trout, CF	3	0	0	0	1	1	0	.288
O’Malley, LF	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.214
Pujols, 1B	4	0	0	0	0	0	1	.271
Campana, CF	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.187
Kendrick, H, 2B	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	.294
Green, G, 2B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.278
Freese, 3B	2	1	1	0	1	1	1	.261
Navarro, E, 1B	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	.244
Aybar, SS	3	0	0	0	1	0	4	.279
McDonald, Jo, SS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.162
a-Boesch, PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.178
Jimenez, L, 3B	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.171
Iannetta, C	3	0	1	0	1	0	1	.252
Cron, DH	5	0	1	1	0	4	3	.259
Cowgill, LF-RF	4	0	0	0	1	1	1	.250
Totals	40	1	7	1	5	10	17	.260

a-Flied out for McDonald, Jo in the 10th.

Seattle	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jackson, A, CF	5	0	0	1	1	2	7	.255
Ackley, LF	4	0	1	0	0	1	1	.245
Cano, 2B	4	0	0	0	1	0	3	.314
Morales, K, DH	4	0	0	0	1	0	3	.220
Seager, 3B	3	1	1	0	1	0	0	.270
1-Jones, J, PR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.250
Quintero, C	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	.000
Morrison, 1B	4	0	2	1	1	0	2	.259
Denorfia, RF	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.230
a-Chavez, En, PH-RF	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.276
Zunino, C	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	.198
b-Saunders, M, PH	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.268
Sucre, C	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.213
c-Miller, B, PH-3B	2	1	1	0	0	1	3	.221
Taylor, C, SS	5	0	2	0	0	2	6	.293
Totals	37	2	8	2	6	7	28	.243

a-Hit a sacrifice bunt for Denorfia in the 7th. b-Intentionally walked for Zunino in the 7th. c-Struck out for Sucre in the 9th.
1-Ran for Seager in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Freese (25, Paxton), Kendrick, H (33, Paxton), Navarro, E (10, Wilhelmsen).
TB: Iannetta; Navarro, E 2; Kendrick, H 3; Cron; Beckham, G; Freese 2.
RBI: Cron (37).
2-out RBI: Cron.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Calhoun 2; Aybar; Cron; Boesch.
Team RISP: 1-for-8.
Team LOB: 12.FIELDING
DP: 2 (Kendrick, H-Aybar-Pujols, Aybar-Kendrick, H-Pujols).

BATTING
2B: Morrison (20, Wilson, C), Miller, B (15, Morin, M).
TB: Zunino; Ackley; Taylor, C 2; Seager; Morrison 3; Miller, B 2.
RBI: Morrison (38), Jackson, A (47).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Morales, K; Jackson, A 4; Morrison.
SAC: Chavez, En 2.
GIDP: Denorfia, Taylor, C.
Team RISP: 1-for-11.
Team LOB: 12.BASERUNNING
SB: Saunders, M (4, 2nd base off Salas/Iannetta).

LA Angels	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Wilson, C	6.0	4	1	1	3	2	4.51
Salas	1.0	0	0	0	1	2	3.38
Smith, J	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	1.81
Grilli	1.0	1	0	0	1	2	4.00
Morin, M(L, 4-4)	1.1	3	1	1	1	1	2.90
Pestano	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	2.89
Totals	10.2	8	2	2	6	7	3.58

Seattle	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Paxton	5.2	4	1	1	3	4	3.04
Farquhar	0.2	0	0	0	0	1	2.57
Furbush	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	3.61
Smith, C	0.1	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
Medina	1.0	0	0	0	1	1	2.72
Rodney	1.0	1	0	0	0	3	2.85
Wilhelmsen	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	2.27
Leone(W, 8-2)	1.0	1	0	0	0	1	2.17
Totals	11.0	7	1	1	5	10	3.19

Wilson, C pitched to 2 batters in the 7th.WP: Paxton 2.
IBB: Iannetta (by Paxton), Saunders, M (by Salas), Morales, K (by Morin, M).
HBP: Iannetta (by Paxton), Ackley (by Wilson, C).
Pitches-strikes: Wilson, C 85-46, Salas 17-8, Smith, J 14-10, Grilli 30-16, Morin, M 15-11, Pestano 6-5, Paxton 96-55, Farquhar 8-8, Furbush 2-2, Smith, C 8-4, Medina 12-5, Rodney 19-13, Wilhelmsen 12-8, Leone 18-12.
Groundouts-flyouts: Wilson, C 9-2, Salas 1-0, Smith, J 2-0, Grilli 1-0, Morin, M 3-0, Pestano 1-0, Paxton 8-2, Farquhar 0-0, Furbush 0-1, Smith, C 1-0, Medina 2-0, Rodney 0-0, Wilhelmsen 0-1, Leone 1-1.
Batters faced: Wilson, C 24, Salas 4, Smith, J 3, Grilli 6, Morin, M 8, Pestano 1, Paxton 25, Farquhar 2, Furbush 1, Smith, C 2, Medina 4, Rodney 4, Wilhelmsen 4, Leone 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Salas 1-0, Pestano 2-1, Farquhar 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Bill Miller. 1B: Adrian Johnson. 2B: Chad Fairchild. 3B: Dan Bellino.
Weather: 65 degrees, clear.
Wind: 3 mph, L to R.
T: 3:54.
Att: 32,716.
Venue: Safeco Field.
September 27, 2014
Compiled by MLB Advanced Media

Box Score:

Schedule