Sele Finally Snags That Elusive Ninth "W"

July 3, 2001

"They're GONNA win. We never had a lead like that. We only had a seven-, eight-game lead. If we'd have had an 18-, 19-game lead, I'd have kicked back and gone to the Bahamas." -Sparky Anderson, former manager of the 1984 World Champion Detroit Tigers

So this tremendously enjoyable game began with a 1-out double from Carlos "Welcome Back" Guillen who is evidently feeling all better from the mild concussion he had a couple days ago after colliding with Al Martin and Edgar grounded him over to third and then with Bret Boone at the dish, Pudge tried a snap throw to third to try and get Carlos only it hit him and Alex "I Wanna Be Like Boone" Rodriguez had to go after it and Carlos scored only they made him go back to third and I am up stomping my foot and demanding to know why and Niehaus and Red don't know either and then Bret ends up walking and whether or not he should've scored on that fails to matter as Mike "I'm Goin' Yard!" Cameron WENT YARD to put us up 3-0.

"I did what I'm supposed to do, I contributed. I'm still not doing as much as I'd like to do, but I take a lot of pride in helping us to where we are. Our record is no mistake. We've earned it." -Mike Cameron

So bottom of the first and Aaron Sele struck out the Bat Boy NO WAIT that is Frank Catalanotto and unfortunately, Pudge tripled and Alex grounded out but that scored Pudge and then Rafael Palmeiro popped up to end the inning, and we head to the second leading 3-1.

So 1 out, and David Bell singled and then Charles Gipson grounded into what would've been a double play had Alex "Oopsy Daisy!" Rodriguez not tossed it on the transfer, and actually, even though he lost it on the transfer and Bell was out, the umpire evidently thought he lost it before he tagged second because he didn't call Bell out until Alex recovered the ball and that would've been HYSTERICALLY FUNNY if he'd gotten an error called on him but no such luck and because I try not to be greedy, I just enjoyed the fact that he didn't get two, but we don't score this inning and neither does Texas, since sat down in order.

So third inning and with 1 out, Edgar doubled and then Boone doubled and we lead it 4-1 and Cammie walked, but the one run is all we get and then Michael Lamb led off with a single but Mike Young flew out and the Bat Boy NO WAIT that is Catalanotto grounded into a double play because our shortstop can turn those.

So fourth inning and David "I'm Goin' Yard!" Bell WENT YARD to lead things off and an out later, Ichiro TRIPLES, but we fail to score him much to my great amazement because I'm terribly spoiled and we head to the bottom half leading 5-1 and unfortunately, Pudge led off with a homerun and it's 5-2 and then much to my INFINITE DISMAY, Alex gets even with me for taking that crack about our shortstop being able to turn double plays and just LAUNCHES one, and this time he doesn't smirk around the bases like he did in Seattle when he hit one and it's now 5-3 Seattle and Lou Piniella makes a little visit to the mound and whatever he said to Sele worked because Sele came right back and got Palmeiro to ground out, K'd Sierra and got Gabe Kapler on a fly ball.

"In his special spare-no-feelings way, Piniella caught Sele's attention." -Gerry Fraley, sportswriter

"It's not like he was mad or anything. But it was a serious visit. He wanted me to get back to what I'd been doing." -Aaron Sele

So fifth inning and with one out, Cameron walked and then he stole second which made Pudge say a VERY BAD WORD but we don't score and then with one out, Lamb doubled and Young walked, but the Bat Boy NO WAIT that's Catalanotto struck out looking again and Pudge singled and NO WAIT! BOONE SNAGGED IT AND TOSSED YOUNG OUT AT SECOND WITH IT! WOW. I mean seriously, WOW.

"The one constant always is the defense. The pitchers can depend on it. And with Boone, people tend to overlook his defense because he hits so well. But he's won a Gold Glove before, and the way he's playing now, he's right at Gold Glove level." -Aaron Sele

"I play the way I've been taught to play, the way the game is supposed to be played. If people recognize that, great. If they don't, it's not something I'm going to worry about." -Bret Boone

So sixth inning and David doubled to lead things off, and an out later, Ichiro doubled to score him, but that's all we get as Carlos and Edgar both flew out to deep right and I was forced to call Kapler names for catching both of them because I'm really immature. So 6-3 Seattle and Alex leads off with a walk and Palmeiro K'd and then Sierra grounded into a double play with Boonie starting it again and how much do I love this baseball team.

"It seems like they do everything right." -Texas starting pitcher Darren Oliver on the Mariners

So seventh inning and Ryan Glynn relieved Darren Oliver and Bret "I'm Goin' Yard!" Boone promptly WENT YARD to put us up 7-3 and two outs later, Dan Wilson singled but we don't score him and with one out, Ricky Ledee blooped a single and then thought he could get two but Carlos Guillen thought not as he gunned him down at second, so 2 outs and Jeff Nelson relieved Sele and K'd Young and we head to the eighth and I have to say it again, I LOVE THIS BASEBALL TEAM.

So anyway, with 1 out, Ichiro singled and then stole second and ended up on third because NOBODY WAS COVERING as Pudge threw the ball into centerfield and I personally would've scored that E6 and I think we all know why.

"In 48 at-bats against the Rangers this season, Ichiro is batting .458 with three home runs and eight RBI." -Larry LaRue, sportswriter

"I put his name in the lineup and then do what everyone else does. I just watch him play." -Lou Piniella, on Ichiro

So anyway, Carlos flew out and then Edgar doubled to score him and we head to the bottom half leading 8-3.

"Edgar works on every aspect. He works on his mental approach, his eyesight, his strength. Everything. It's all he does. He works and works and works. He wants to be perfect and he's going to keep searching for ways to get there. A lot of hitters have weaknesses, but he has no weakness. There is no way to pitch him. Unreal." -Stan Javier

"This has been an up and down season for me. But the most important thing is that the team is doing well." -Edgar Martinez

So the Bat Boy NO WAIT that is Catalanotto flew out and then Pudge lined out thanks to a magnificent catch by Carlos and Alex walked unfortunately, and then Palmeiro walked, and then Sierra obnoxiously singled to score Alex but then Nellie recovered and pitched like himself again by K'ing Kapler.

So ninth inning and we sit down in order much to my amazement, and then Arthur Lee Rhodes relieved Nellie and the first pitch he threw had to be over 100 mph and I was like "HOLY NIGHT!" and long story short, he retired the side in order and we win our 61st game of the year and assure ourselves a tie in the series.

"They have very consistent at-bats, they wear you down in the grind. They are a good example of baseball for both leagues." -Alex Rodriguez