M's Bring A Lovely End To June

June 30, 2001

So I missed this entire game because my friend Jennifer came over to take me out for a fun day since I was still depressed (see reviews from June 28th and 29th if you don't know why, I am trying not to mention it every three seconds) and about the time the Mariners are sitting down in order, Jen and I are learning that it costs almost $30 bucks to go to this amusement park that I am not going to mention by name because I don't know if that will get me in trouble or not since I have to mention that it was a total RIP OFF and HOW LAME IS THAT, especially considering that there aren't even that many cool rides there if you aren't going into the water part of it, which we weren't. So then Denny Stark makes his major league debut and gives up a two out single before striking out Troy Glaus about the time Jennifer and I are spinning around in the teacups REALLY HARD and even though I never get sick on those, I have to say that they probably aren't the best idea right after you've been in a car accident and your neck is kind of stiff.

So second inning and John Olerud walked and Bret Boone singled, but we don't score anybody and then an infield single, two strikeouts, another single and fielder's choice later, Stark still hasn't allowed the Angels to score, and had I been watching, I probably would've said "GO DENNY!"

So third inning and Ichiro's double was as exciting as it got, even though we got him to third on a fly ball, and then two outs, a single, a stolen base and a homerun (Troy Glaus) later, it's unfortunately 2-0 Anaheim, and I have to say that I'm glad I was on the scrambler at the time, instead of having to see that, even though it gave me a big bruise on my arm and didn't help my neck any.

So fourth inning and I'm like "NO MORE SPINNING!" because my neck seriously can't take it anymore and Bret Boone triples with one out, and then Mike Cameron tripled right after that to make it 2-1, and then Al Martin singled, which tied the game! Unfortunately, Anaheim answered immediately with a one out triple themselves, which then scored on sac fly, and it's 3-2 Anaheim.

Fifth inning and I am evidently not terrifically bright because I won't stay off the rides (I PAID $30, I couldn't just SIT there) and Jen and I ride their fairly lame roller coaster and then we watch some people do the sky-dive swing thing, which I did once when I was at Magic Mountain in California, and THAT is a theme park worth going to, and anyway, with one out, Mark McLemore doubled and then Edgar singled to score him and we have a tie game on our hands once more and Stark retired the side in order.

So sixth inning and Jen and I ride the Ring Of Fire which makes me totally claustrophobic and by the time it finally stops I end up THROWING MYSELF out the side of it because I'm so happy to be getting out of there and then Tom "I'm Goin Yard!" Lampkin WENT YARD, only he stopped at second base, I guess because a fan threw it back and the umpires had to tell him to keep going, and there we are with the lead, 4-3 heading into the bottom half. So one out for Anaheim, and Garret Anderson singled, and then Tim Salmon singled, and then Stark recorded a strikeout, but walked Jorge Fabregas, and that loaded the bases. Enter Jose Paniagua, one pitch, one fly out, one out, inning over.

"I hated leaving three guys out there with a one-run lead. That's a tough spot to put anybody in, but Bryan Price said, 'Don't worry, Starkie, Paniagua will get you out of this.' And he did." -Denny Stark

"Paniagua walked to the mound and took the ball and an order from Piniella. "Lou said, 'Give me a fastball low and away and we'll get out of this,'" Paniagua said. "That's why I love Lou. He's never lost faith in me, he believed I could get out of that spot." Paniagua threw Larry Barnes a fastball - low and away - Barnes flied out and the Mariners were out of the jam." -Larry LaRue, sportswriter

Seventh inning. One out. McLemore walked. Edgar was hit by a pitch. I was on the spider, which I didn't remember SPUN SO MUCH. This turns out to be our last ride, and I'm getting sunburned anyway. Mike Holtz relieved Ramon Ortiz. John Olerud is safe on Adam Kennedy's throwing error, and Mac scored. Had I been watching, I would've shouted something along the lines of "THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HIT EDGAR, RAMON ORTIZ!" and Al Levine and his cool sideburns come in to relieve Holtz and Boone K'd and Ole got caught stealing and since when does John Olerud steal bases I'd like to know. 5-3 Seattle. So one out later, John makes an error and Kennedy is safe at first and I think this game has entered the Twilight Zone or something because not only does John Olerud not steal, he doesn't make errors either, I mean what's going on here? But a single and a double play later, we're out of it.

So eighth inning and Mike Cameron singles but gets caught stealing and that's as exciting as it gets for us, and then Anaheim manages a two out single that they can't do anything with, and on we go to the ninth, where Shigetoshi Hasegawa relieved Al Levine and his sideburns, and an out later, Ichiro singles but that's all that happens, and then Kazu came in to relieve Paniagua, quickly got two outs, gave up a double, and got a groundout to end the game and we win the game and the series and finish off June with a lovely 18-9 record, as Denny Stark earns his first Major League "W".

"What you saw was a pitcher aggressive in the strike zone, a pitcher who was well-composed and kept that composure. He did a fine job and he'll get the ball again next Thursday." -Lou Piniella on Denny Stark