On paper, I thought this game was going to be a Mariners win. Felix Hernandez versus Matt Harrison. Especially after Matt had not had any mound time (when it counts) in ages.
But what we got was not what I was expecting. Felix Hernandez was good. Yes. But Matt Harrison was just a smidge better. Just look at their lines:
Hernandez: 7IP, 7H, 3R, 2ER, 1BB, 5K, 1HR, 110P
Harrison: 6IP, 6H, 1ER, 1BB, 4K, 0HR, 110P
Yeah, Hernandez was out there longer, but he did give up more runs. The pitchers left the field with Harrison on top. Dustin Nippert and Neftali Feliz held down the fort. Nippert had a little harder time, as he gave up two hits, but neither surrendered a run.
Then Frank Francisco came in and laid an egg. A big stinky smelly one right in the middle of the diamond. For the second time in a few games, too. He gave up three hits, three earned runs and a walk. In 0.1 innings pitched. Faced just five batters, threw fifteen pitches. He was rather lustily booed, and his manager lost confidence, as Feliz was named the “temporary” closer not long after the game was over. Yikes!
It was annoying as hell, but lost in the annoyance was the fact that Joaquin Arias went 3-3 against Felix Hernandez. That was a really impressive feat. Wouldn’t have expected that from Arias, but we’ll take it.
P.S. I’m bloody sick and tired of Felix Hernandez being called “King Felix” – even by our own announcers. Come on Lewin. He’s not our player. That we’re promoting an opponent with an “ego boosting” nickname like that really bugs me. Most players (like say CoCo Crisp) have a nickname that’s part of their name. Yeah, his name is “Covelli Crisp”, but nobody calls him that. All the records and everything say Coco Crisp. Nobody calls him “King Felix”. He’s Felix Hernandez. If I was a Mariner fan, I might be inclined to say that, but I’m not. And I don’t think our announcers should be doing that, either. Grumble, grumble..