This game was actually very well pitched, except for three half innings. Those would be the bottom of the fifth, the bottom of the eighth, and the top of the ninth.
Kevin Millwood actually pitched a quality start (technically), going 6 innings, giving up 3 runs. Jack Benoit pitched a scoreless seventh, but then Frank Francisco, fresh off the DL after Tommy John surgery, gave up two runs in his 0.2 IP. It took Rheinecker & Bauer to complete the other 1/3 of an inning, and the two of them gave up two hits and two runs to do it. The big problem was the grand slam that Rick Bauer gave up. Come to think of it, all 7 runs the Mariners got were on home runs. The three in the 5th were a 3 run home run, and the four in the 8th were a grand slam.
Cha Seung Baek looked good, going 7, shutting out the Rangers on four hits. Joel Piniero struggled a bit in the 9th, gave up a few hits and a couple of runs, but the Rangers really weren’t in this offensively at all.
At least that old guy fan who wears the blue hat got to throw out the first pitch. ;)