Mariners History: Mr. November’s Greatest Game Against The Mariners

Mariners fans should be happy that Mr. November, Derek Jeter, is no longer playing against them. After “The Captain’s” twenty-year career as an opponent, he no longer inflicts damage on Seattle’s team. Yet, of all the games Jeter played versus the Mariners over two decades, one stands above the rest.

When baseball fans think November, they think Derek Jeter. And, when Mariners think Derek Jeter, they think about the man who hit a career .281 against them with nineteen home runs and seventy-seven RBIs. They also recall his countless great efforts to gun down Mariners runners from the shortstop position. That’s not even mentioning how he helped destroy the M’s championship hopes in back-to-back years in 2000 and 2001.

They also recall his countless great efforts to gun down Mariners runners from the shortstop position. That’s not even mentioning how he helped destroy the M’s championship hopes in back-to-back years in 2000 and 2001.

But, with all the suffering he has forced upon Mariners fans over the years, there is one game that trumps the others.

By 1998, the Mariners had already gotten a taste of how good Jeter was. In fact, Jeter began his career in Seattle way back in 1995 as the Yankees traveled to the Kingdome for three games. He would go 3-11, scoring three runs, drawing two walks and knocking in one RBI, putting all Mariners fans on alert that he is not going to take it easy against their team.

In the summer of that 98′ season, Jeter and the Yankees would host the M’s for a three-game stint to end the month of August. It was the second games of this series on August, 29th in which Jeter battered his Seattle foes. Of course, it should be noted that, when Jeter was having his best game against the Mariners, he had not yet earned the moniker of , “Mr. November”.

It was the second games of this series on August, 29th in which Jeter battered his Seattle foes. Of course, it should be noted that, when Jeter was having his best game against the Mariners, he had not yet earned the moniker of , “Mr. November”.

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In his first at-bat on that hot afternoon, Jeter would single. The single may have seemed pedestrian at the time, but, two batters later, Jeter would score the Yanks first run, putting them up 1-0.

In the second frame, Jeter would get another shot at the plate. He would single again -as many Yankees would that inning- and would score another run, this time on a sacrifice fly. So far, Jeter had collected two hits in two at-bats and scored two of the Yankees six runs by the end of the second.

Those two runs alone would’ve been enough to stay ahead of the Mariners at this early stage. While the M’s did have two runners on-base in the first, they would still be searching for their first base-knock after six outs had been recorded against them.

In the third, Jeter still managed to reach base without getting a hit. He would end up on first due to an error, and would later score his third run of the game. He had no scored three runs over three innings, and he wasn’t even finished yet.

By the fourth, Jeter had grown tired over hitting singles. In his fourth plate appearance, he got to dominate the M’s first reliever on that day, Bob Wells. With one man on, Jeter took wells yard. The ball sailed into the right-field stands, making the score 9-0. He was now 3-3 with four runs scored, two RBI and a home run.

With one man on, Jeter took wells yard. The ball sailed into the right-field stands, making the score 9-0. He was now 3-3 with four runs scored, two RBI and a home run.

Thankfully for the Mariners, that was all Jeter would be able to muster against them that day. In his final at-bat in the sixth, he would fly out. In the seventh, with a comfortable 11-5 lead, Jeter would be replaced at short by, Luis Sojo. This was the end of Jeter’s reign of terror against the Mariners that day, and it would be one that Jeter would remember.

In the seventh, with a comfortable 11-5 lead, Jeter would be replaced at short by, Luis Sojo. This was the end of Jeter’s reign of terror against the Mariners that day, and it would be one that Jeter would remember.

Having scored four runs that day, (two more than any other teammate in the game) Jeter would tie his career-high for most runs scored in a single game. He had scored four a year prior to this game with the Mariners in June against the Chicago Whitesox. He would go on to have just six total games of scoring four or more runs, including setting a new personal-best of five runs, a few years later.

It was also not a surprise to see Jeter hit a home run that day. Outside of his division rivals in the AL East, Jeter hit his most home runs against the Mariners. The homer on that day was his fifth versus the M’s so far. In all, he would smash nineteen dingers in matchups against the Mariners in his career.

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It was an amazing game for Mr. November, and it was a game the Mariners wish he hadn’t have played in. Mariners fans and players have always respected “The Captain”, but there is a huge relief that he can no longer do what he did on August 29th, 1998 anymore.