38+ Mariners 10, at 38+ EB Red Sox 4 March 21, 2004, 1:00 PM Game Recap
38+ Mariners 10, at 38+ EB Red Sox 4
Mariners Open 2004 By Passing Expansion Test
SOLANO – To steal Greg Hill’s line; the Tri-Valley MSBL 38+ Mariners got past the expansion East Bay Red Sox 10-4 Sunday at breezy Solano College with “Pitching, defense and the three-run error.”
After going undefeated (22-0) during the regular season in 2003 but falling to the Expos two games to one in the 38+ Championship Series, Mariners baseball keeps rolling along in 2004. The Mariners got more outstanding pitching and played their usual solid defense Sunday. But they had a little help as the Red Sox made seven costly errors, including a two-out, three run error that allowed the Mariners to take a commanding lead in the sixth.
All 10 Mariner runs were unearned as Red Sox righty starter Matt "Hoss" Warren pitched very well in his eight innings of work but was victimized by poor infield play. Meanwhile, all four Red Sox runs were earned as they had 10 hits but stranded twelve base runners swinging wood bats for the first time. This game should have been much closer than it was.
The game was scoreless after two innings but in the top of the third, Mariner Bill Abraham drew a leadoff walk, Art Taugher reached on an error; and a throwing error on John Allen’s grounder to third put runners at second and third with one out. Hill then came through with a two-run single to open the scoring.
The Mariners made it 4-0 in the fourth with the help of Dan Egbert’s second hit of the game, an infield error and a RBI single from Abraham. Matt Mullany scored both runs in the inning pinch-running for Egbert and Mark Von Aspern.
The Red Sox cut the lead to 4-1 with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Clean-up hitter Walt Wellsfry led off the inning with a single to left, went to second on a well-placed sac bunt by Rusty Knudsen, and scored on Jim Hurley's base hit. The Sox made it 4-2 in the fifth on a clutch two-out single by Wellsfry to plate Doug Graff. It should be noted that centerfielder Jason Hurley led all hitters with 3 knocks and also turned in several superb defensive plays.
But the game changed dramatically in the top of the sixth. With two outs and nobody on, Mariner Charlie Johnson walked. Bing Hadley then singled and Egbert was hit by a pitch to load the bases. And then came the pivital play of the game... Mullany hit a routine grounder to short that was wildy over-thrown to first and went for a three-run error as all three runners scored. That made it 7-2 Mariners. Mullany then scored his third run of the game on a wild pitch by Warren and the Mariners led 8-2.
The Red Sox scored in the bottom of the sixth on an rbi single by Cliff Bates and again in the seventh on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Knudsen to score Jason Hurley to once again cut the lead in half. But the Mariners put up a couple unearned runs in the top of the ninth off reliever Wellsfry to seal the victory. A one-out error put Hadley on and an errant throw put him at third. Another error scored Hadley from third and put Egbert at first. He later scored on a passed-ball to close out the scoring.
Dave Herren got the opening-day start and went seven innings to capture the Mariner’s first win of the season. Herren allowed four runs on seven hits, walked five and struck out three. Ed Draiss came on in relief and pitched two scoreless innings to nail down the victory. The Red Sox did make things interesting in the ninth loading the bases on the lone Mariner error and hits by Graff and Hurley before Donny Davenport flew out to short center to end the game.
The Mariner defense was the difference as they made but one error in the season opener and made some outstanding plays in the field to hold off the Red Sox. Centerfielder Scott Gibson started a double play when he made a catch in center and a perfect one-hop throw to first to double up a stealing Doug Graff in the first inning. He also went back on a long fly ball by Wellsfry to make a tough catch look easy in the second inning and made a running catch on Davenport's blooper with the bases loaded to end the game.
Egbert snared a Dan Ghinazzi line drive at third base and threw to second for a double play that killed a rally in the fourth. Catcher Hadley caught a runner taking too much of a lead off of second and picked him off after a missed bunt attempt, minimizing a Red Sox rally that started with the first two runners reaching base. Allen had seven putouts at short, including a nice grab in the hole and a throw to third to end the seventh.
The Mariners face the Rockies on March 28th at Camp Parks at 12:30. The Red Sox look for their first win of the season against the Pirates in a 9:30 contest at Deer Valley.
