August 14, 2007
To the Wall and Over
Richie Sexson started and ended the scoring last night in Seattle.
Photo: Jesse Beals / Icon SMI
Sexson hit a long fly ball in the first inning that looked like it would clear the wall, but fell just short as it hit the fence for a two-run double. Then, with the score tied at three in the bottom of the ninth, Sexson got all of the second pitch from Guerrier and drove it the few extra feet needed to for a walk off home run. Richie's had a terrible season, so bad the fans were booing him during the game. But he's had three two-hit games in a row, and over the last six games is batting .400 with two home runs and two doubles. The Mariners have stayed in the pennant race without Richie's bat. Getting it back for the home stretch might be enough to put them over the top.
Johan Santana makes another quality start without a win, the eighth time that happened this season. Both Santana and Hernandez were throwing strikes last night. Both only had 37 balls called while throwing 107 and 109 pitches respectively.
Posted by David Pinto at
07:49 AM
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Sexson is still lumbering along with an OPS 150 points below his career number. Maybe it's just age - his offensive output has steadily declined from 2005. Even cuting him some slack for SAFECO, he's become a well below-average first baseman.
I have to think that he's still better than a low .700 OPS, though. So maybe he will pick it up down the stretch. The Mariners need all the offense they can get as they try to hold off a far superior Yankees team in the wild card race.
