Monday, June 30, 2014 Game #83 (44-38) Minute Maid Park SEATTLE MARINERS (44-38) at HOUSTON ASTROS (36-47) Road #40 (23-16) TONIGHT’S GAME INFORMATION Starting Pitchers: RHP Taijuan Walker (2014 debut) vs. RHP Collin McHugh (4-6, 2.86) 5:10 PM PT/7:10 pm CT • Radio: 710 ESPN Seattle / Mariners.com • TV: ROOT SPORTS Day Date Opp. Time Mariners Pitcher Opposing Pitcher TELEVISION Tuesday July 1 @HOU 5:10 pm RH Hisashi Iwakuma (5-4, 3.48) vs. RH Jarred Cosart (8-5, 3.60) ROOT SPORTS Wednesday July 2 @HOU 11:10 am RH Chris Young (7-4, 3.15) vs. RH Brad Peacock (2-4, 4.21) ROOT SPORTS Thursday July 3 Off Day in Chicago All games broadcast on 710 ESPN Seattle & Mariners Radio Network TONIGHT’S TILT…the Mariners open a 6-game, 7-day, 2-city road trip tonight with the first of three INSIDE THE NUMBERS games vs. the Houston Astros…are off Thursday before opening a Fourth of July weekend series vs. the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field…went 4-2 in just-completed 6-game homestand vs. the Red Sox (2-1) and Indians (2-1)…tonight’s game will be televised on ROOT SPORTS in HD & broadcast .357 live on 710 ESPN Seattle & Mariners Radio Network. Kyle Seager’s home batting average in 41 games at Safeco Field this season ODDS AND ENDS…won yesterday’s rubber game 3-0 vs. the Indians on a combined 1-hitter by (51x143)…leads AL in home batting Felix Hernandez and Fernando Rodney…have the 8th-best winning pct in baseball (.537), 4th- avg, RBI (38) and 2nd with 11 HR… best in the AL…won 7 of last 9 games, and 10 of 14 (following 5-G losing streak)…37-25 (.597) compares to batting .201 (30x149) in 38 road games. following a season-high 8-game losing streak (April 15-22), the 2nd-best W-L% in the Majors during this span…are 23-14 vs. teams currently with a .500 or better record (21-24 vs. non-.500). • Red Hot – Kyle Seager is batting .421 (24x57) with 7 2B, 3 HR, 16 RBI in his last 15 games. • Dominating – Felix Hernandez ranks T1st in the AL in ERA (2.10), 2nd in strikeouts (137), T2nd in wins .410 (10), T1st in quality starts (16), 1st in innings pitched (128.1) and 1st in WHIP (0.919). Felix Hernandez leads the Majors with an opponent OPS of .410 in June. • The Closer – Fernando Rodney is T1st in the AL with 23 saves (23-for-25 in save opps). • Shutouts – Mariners have 5 shutouts this month, tied for T4th-most in a month in club history. • Multi-Hit Special – Robinson Cano is T4th in the American League with 30 multi-hit games. • Flashing the Leather – Mariners lead the AL with a .987 fielding percentage (39 E, 3,023 TC). 15.2 • Power Supply – the Mariners have hit 10 home runs in the last 7 games (17 in the last 13 games). Scoreless inning streak by LHP Joe Beimel, the 2nd-longest active streak • Ribbies – Seager has 53 RBI in 60 G since April 23, 3rd-best in MLB…Encarnacion, 57 & Cabrera, 54. in the American League. • Maurer Power – Brandon Maurer has struck out 6 of 10 batters faced in 2 relief outings. ROAD WARRIORS…the Mariners have the 3rd-best road winning percentage in the American League with a 23-16 mark (.590)…trail only the A’s (27-15/.643) and Tigers (25-15/.625)…are 11-4 55 over the last 15 road games, and 9-3 on the road in June…were 18-27 on the road prior to the All- RBI this season by Kyle Seager to rank Star break last season, and last had a winning road record Pre-ASG in 2007 (22-21). T8th in the American League. CASE OF THE MONDAY’S…the Mariners have started off the “work week” in grand fashion this AL ERA LEADERS season, going 9-1 on Monday’s…have won the last 7 Monday affairs…the pitching staff has a 2.00 ERA (20 ER, 90.0 IP) and the hitters are batting .284 (99x349). RK TEAM (overall) ERA 1. Oakland .......................................... 3.16 RISP = REWARD…the Mariners rank 4th in the American League with a .266 batting average 2. Seattle ............................................ 3.24 (166x625) with runners in scoring position…the .266 average with RISP is the club’s highest mark 3. Kansas City .................................... 3.71 RK TEAM (bullpen) ERA prior to the All-Star break since 2007 (.290/226x779)…in recent years the Mariners have posted the 1. Seattle ............................................ 2.58 following RISP AVG in the first half of the season: 2013: .225 (163x724), 2012: .242 (158x654), 2011: 2. Oakland .......................................... 2.87 .213 (144x676), 2010: .234 (165x705), 2009: .231 (156x675), 2008: .237 (180x760). 3. Boston ............................................ 2.96 RK TEAM (starters) ERA SOME KIND OF STREAK…Felix Hernandez has recorded 9 consecutive starts where he has 1. Oakland .......................................... 3.32 pitched at least 7.0 innings and allowed 2 or fewer runs, including yesterday’s 8.0 scoreless innings 2. Seattle ............................................ 3.54 3. Los Angeles .................................... 3.69 allowing 1 hit vs. Cleveland…is the longest streak in club history, bettering a 7-start streak by Randy Johnson in 1994…during this stretch Felix is 6-1 with a 1.30 ERA (10 ER, 69.0 IP) with 77 strikeouts MLB RUN DIFFERENTIAL and 10 walks (10.04 K/9.0 IP, 7.70 K/BB ratio)…the streak is tied for 2nd-longest by an AL pitcher Three of the top 4 run differentials in the dating back to 1974 when Gaylord Perry had a 11-start streak for the Indians…the last pitcher with Majors belong to AL West teams: 10 straight starts of 7.0 IP, 2 or less runs in a single season was Mike Scott (HOU) in 1986. RK TEAM MLB RUN DIFFERENTIAL 1. Oakland ............................+135 (418-283) 10+ HITS…when recording 10 or more hits in a game, the Mariners are 25-4 (.862) this season…only 2. LA Dodgers .........................+54 (356-302 Oakland has a better record when recording double-digits hits (29-3/.906). 3. LA Angels ...........................+51 (386-335) 4. Seattle .............................. +50 (331-281) GETTING SERIES-OUS…the Mariners have won three consecutive series, and in the last 21 series, Seattle has won 12, lost 5 & tied 4…overall 13-10-5 in series…began season 1-5-1 in series. BACKSTOP HOMERS LEADING OFF…Mariners leadoff hitters are batting .316 (24x76) with 6 walks (3 reached on errors) Mike Zunino is the 3rd Seattle catcher in the first plate appearance of a game…Endy Chavez has recorded a hit in 10 of 17 games in his to hit 10+ HR before the All-Star Break (M. Olivo & D. Wilson)…leads the AL first plate appearance as a leadoff batter this season, including hits in 8 of his last 11 games. among catchers with 11 HR (3rd in MLB): WINNING JUNE…the Mariners are 17-10 in June (with 1 game remaining), 2nd-best record in the AL Catcher Team HR American League this month (OAK: 17-8/.680)…have secured a winning month, and back-to-back 1. M. Zunino SEA 11 2. S. Perez KC 9 winning months (were 16-14 in May) for the first time since July-August, 2012…the 17 June wins are Y. Gomes CLE 9 tied for 6th-most in club history, and most since an 18-9 June 2007. 4. B. McCann NYY 8 JUNE ERA…the Mariners lead the Majors with 2.48 ERA (66 ER, 240.0 IP) in June…bullpen (1.59) & VS. THE ASTROS starters (2.87) have the lowest marks among AL teams…are on pace to set club records for lowest The Mariners and Astros play tonight monthly team ERA (currently 2.80 in July 1991) and lowest relief ERA (currently 1.88 in June 2012). in the 11th of 19 games this season… the season series is tied 5-5, with Seat- BULLPEN BULLIES…the Mariners bullpen has a 1.60 ERA (20 ER, 112.2 IP) over the last 42 games tle going 2-1 in Houston and the Astros (since 5/14), including allowing only 2 runs over the last 29.0 innings in relief (0.62 ERA)…leads the holding a 4-3 edge in games played at AL in bullpen ERA (2.58), 3rd-best in the Majors…Joe Beimel (15.2) and Yoervis Medina (12.2), Safeco Field…Mariners took 2 of 3 May currently have the 1st and 2nd-longest active scoreless innings streak among AL relievers. 2-4 in Houston. SELECTED, SIGNED AND PLAYING…Mariners Director of Amateur Scouting Tom McNamara Year Home Road Totals 2014 3-4 2-1 5-5 announced that the club has signed 35 of 40 selections from the 2014 June Amateur Draft…the 2013 3-6 7-3 10-9 Mariners have signed the top 30 selections, including recent signings RHP Lukas Schiraldi (15th All-Time 7-13 11-8 18-20 round, University of Texas, son of former MLB pitcher Calvin Schiraldi), RHP Hawtin Buchanan (20th 1-HITTER round, Ole Miss) and RHP Sam Lindquist (37th round, Mercer Island High School/Stanford). Josh Tomlin threw a 1-hitter Saturday YOU LIKELY ALREADY KNOW…that closer Fernando Rodney is tied for the American League at Safeco Field, and Felix Hernandez and Fernando Rodney combined on a lead with 23 saves (with KC’s Greg Holland)…BUT DID YOU KNOW?…that Rodney has recorded 1-hitter yesterday…first time since May 9 saves in back-to-back months (May & June)?…there have been only 14 instances of a Mariners 3-4, 1996 at Tiger Stadium an AL venue pitcher recording 9 or more saves in a calendar month, and Rodney joins J.J.