Mariners Beat Yanks

Last night, Kenji, Tiffany and I went to Yankee Stadium to watch the Seattle Mariners beat the Yankees. At least that's what I told everyone who asked me what my plans were for this weekend. I kind of didn't really believe it though, since the Mariners have had such crappy seasons for the last four years or so. But at the same time, I also didn't totally disbelieve it because I know the Yankees are having a pretty crummy season this year. I think their big losing streak of the season is even longer than Seattle's.

That first inning lasted more than a half an hour. At that rate, we were on track for a four and a half hour game. Most of that half hour was spent by the Yankees scoring five runs and the Mariners none. Thus there was a lot of mumbling and grumbling from Kenji, and none of it nice. However, on the previous night in Boston, the Mariners started off with a five run lead - yet they still managed to lose the game. So we had that hope that perhaps the Mariners could do the opposite against the Yankees this time.

Half way through the 2rd inning, Tiffany and I went off in search of a bathroom and $8 ice cream in a hat. We found the bathroom, and it turns out the ice cream was only $5 because it was Carvel's soft serve and not Ben and Jerry's. When we got back to our seats it was the beginning of the third inning, and things were starting to look up for us - the Mariners scored a run. By the end of the third inning, the Mariners scored two more runs. Inning by inning, the Mariners runs went 0-1-2... so in the fourth Kenji said that they need to score 3 runs to keep the pattern going.

And they did! Could they keep the pattern up?

Sort of - here they are with 0-1-2-3-4, but that didn't last for long. Turns out the Yankee's relief pitcher was even crummier than the Mariner's relief pitcher. In the fifth inning, Colter Bean pitched more than 8 balls in a row and gave up several hits, which led to his being taken out of the game mid-batter. By the end of the fifth, the Mariner's piece of the scoreboard read 0-1-2-3-8 - a break in the pattern that Kenji and I didn't really mind.

By the last half of the ninth inning, the Mariners were still winning by four. However, I've learned time and time again that it's never too late for the team I'm rooting for to screw it up - after all, I did grow up in Red Sox country. And it really looked like that might be the case when after only an out, the Yankees brought in Jason Giambi and loaded the bases. But then Red Sox traitor Johnny Damon flied out, followed by a ground-out by Derek Jeeter, ending the game.

Now let's cross our fingers and hope they can pull it off again on Sunday!