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Mariners Game Notes: Ackley to Play CF, Leone Recalled

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The Seattle Mariners (3-3) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (3-3) tonight in the first game of a 3-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 pm Monday night from Dodger Stadium in Chavez Ravine. James Paxton (0-1, 3.00 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Mariners in the opener, and Brandon McCarthy (1-0, 7.20 ERA) will try to start the season 2-0 for the Dodgers. The Interleague tilt will be televised on Root Sports Northwest, and MLB.tv subscribers can watch on connected devices.

Mariners’ skipper Lloyd McClendon and Dodgers’ manager Don Mattingly have announced the following lineups for tonight’s game:

Dustin Ackley to Play CF and Bat Leadoff?

In an interesting lineup twist, McClendon has Dustin Ackley hitting leadoff and playing center field in tonight’s opener. AckAttack has been on fire to star the season, but this is a drastic change for the regular left fielder.

It should be interesting to watch Ackley roam center field tonight at Dodger Stadium. I have no idea if it will work, but since the Mariners will be without the DH for the next 3 games, it is worth a shot.

Dustin Ackley played center field at the University of North Carolina, and he does possess some experience in center with the Mariners. However, Ackley grades out as a sub-par center fielder, so tonight could easily be a disaster.

I am less concerned with Ackley batting leadoff. He has been very patient at the plate in 2015, and I expect him to set the table nicely for the Mariners tonight.

Tom Wilhelmsen to DL; Dominic Leone Recalled

Tom Wilhelmsen has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a hyper extended elbow. The elbow issue is not said to very serious, and Wilhelmsen should be back soon. The Bartender has been a jack of all trades during the last few seasons with the Mariners, and he will be sorely missed in the bullpen.

Dominic Leone spent the entire 2014 season with the M’s, and he has been recalled by the Seattle Mariners from Tacoma to take Wilhelmsen’s spot in the bullpen. Leone was brilliant in his rookie campaign, going 8-2 with a 2.17 ERA across 66.1 innings.

It appears Mariners’ fans could see Leone make his first appearance of the season tonight with so many relievers needing a night off. With Fernando Rodney unavailable, as well as Yoervis Medina and Danny Farquhar, look for Carson Smith to be used in the closer role if the M’s are winning in the 9th inning.

Pick To Click

The Mariners have tallied 13 runs over their last 2 ballgames, and I expect the bats to stay hot tonight. Nelson Cruz, Dustin Ackley, Seth Smith and Brad Miller will all have nice night’s, but Robinson Cano is my pick to click. Robby has gotten off to a slow start this season, hitting just .120 with 1 RBI across his first 25 at bats. Cano has been hitting the ball hard, but he has yet to reap the rewards. Look for the Mariners’ All Star second baseman to go yard for the first time this season tonight against Dodgers’ starter Brandon McCarthy.

Final Score Prediction

Betty Dovinh is the newest writer here at SoDo Mojo, and she believes that the Mariners will beat the Dodgers 5-1 tonight in Chavez Ravine. Betty miraculously predicted that the M’s would plate 8 runs in yesterday’s contest, so her psychic abilities should not be questioned. I am in agreement about the end result, but I believe the game will be slightly tighter. I foresee a 4-2 win for Seattle on Monday night.

Check back with SoDo Mojo following today’s game for a full recap of the Mariners’ victory over the Dodgers’ (fingers crossed!)

Next: Seattle Mariners vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Series Preview

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