GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: DETROIT (53-35) at SEATTLE (50-37)

AL: DETROIT at SEATTLE

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DETROIT (4) AT SEATTLE (6) - EVENT LOG
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Detroit Starting Lineups -- C Granderson CF, P Polanco 2B, G Sheffield DH,
M Ordonez RF, C Guillen SS, I Rodriguez C, S Casey 1B, M Thames LF, B Inge 3B,
K Rogers LHP.

Seattle Starting Lineups -- I Suzuki CF, J Vidro DH, R Ibanez LF, J Guillen RF,
R Sexson 1B, A Beltre 3B, K Johjima C, Y Betancourt SS, J Lopez 2B, M Batista RHP.

Umpires -- Bruce Froemming (HP), Brian Knight (1B), Mike Winters (2B),
Brian Runge (3B).

Gametime Weather: 74 degrees, Partly Cloudy, wind out to center at 3 mph.


DETROIT 1ST: C Granderson homered to right center. P Polanco flied out to
right. G Sheffield flied out to right. M Ordonez grounded out to third.
(1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) DETROIT 1, SEATTLE 0.

SEATTLE 1ST: I Suzuki grounded out to first. J Vidro grounded out to
first. R Ibanez singled to center. J Guillen flied out to left. (0 Runs,
1 Hit, 0 Errors) DETROIT 1, SEATTLE 0.

DETROIT 2ND: C Guillen grounded out to second. I Rodriguez flied out to
right. S Casey grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) DETROIT 1,
SEATTLE 0.

SEATTLE 2ND: R Sexson safe at second on throwing error by pitcher K Rogers.
A Beltre walked. K Johjima walked, R Sexson to third, A Beltre to second.
Y Betancourt flied out to left. J Lopez hit sacrifice fly to right, R Sexson
scored, A Beltre to third, K Johjima to second. I Suzuki popped out to
shortstop. (1 Run, 0 Hits, 1 Error) DETROIT 1, SEATTLE 1.

DETROIT 3RD: M Thames struck out swinging. B Inge singled to center.
C Granderson lined out to right. P Polanco singled to center, B Inge thrown out
at home. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) DETROIT 1, SEATTLE 1.

SEATTLE 3RD: J Vidro flied out to left. R Ibanez popped out to shortstop.
J Guillen grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) DETROIT 1,
SEATTLE 1.

DETROIT 4TH: G Sheffield struck out swinging. M Ordonez hit by pitch.
M Ordonez caught stealing second, catcher to shortstop. C Guillen walked.
I Rodriguez singled to center, C Guillen to second. S Casey grounded out to
pitcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) DETROIT 1, SEATTLE 1.

SEATTLE 4TH: R Sexson doubled to deep left. A Beltre grounded out to
second, R Sexson to third. K Johjima grounded out to shortstop. Y Betancourt
singled to center, R Sexson scored. J Lopez grounded into fielder's choice to
third, Y Betancourt out at second. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) DETROIT 1,
SEATTLE 2.

DETROIT 5TH: M Thames flied out to center. B Inge struck out looking.
C Granderson struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) DETROIT 1, SEATTLE 2.

SEATTLE 5TH: I Suzuki flied out to left. J Vidro lined out to center.
R Ibanez fouled out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) DETROIT 1, SEATTLE 2.

DETROIT 6TH: P Polanco walked. G Sheffield flied out to center. M Ordonez
struck out swinging. C Guillen singled to right, P Polanco to third.
I Rodriguez struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) DETROIT 1, SEATTLE 2.

SEATTLE 6TH: J Guillen singled to center. R Sexson walked, J Guillen to
second. A Beltre walked, J Guillen to third, R Sexson to second. K Johjima
homered to left, J Guillen, R Sexson and A Beltre scored. C Durbin relieved
K Rogers. Y Betancourt grounded out to third. J Lopez grounded out to second.
I Suzuki flied out to left. (4 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) DETROIT 1, SEATTLE 6.

DETROIT 7TH: S Green relieved M Batista. S Casey safe at first on error by
second baseman J Lopez. M Thames grounded into double play, third to second to
first, S Casey out at second. B Inge fouled out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits,
1 Error) DETROIT 1, SEATTLE 6.

SEATTLE 7TH: R Raburn in right field. J Vidro singled to center. R Ibanez
lined out to left. J Guillen grounded into double play, shortstop to second to
first, J Vidro out at second.(0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) DETROIT 1, SEATTLE 6.

DETROIT 8TH: J Ellison in right field. C Granderson tripled to deep center.
P Polanco grounded out to shortstop, C Granderson scored. G Sheffield singled
to center. C Reitsma relieved S Green. R Raburn singled to left center,
G Sheffield to second. G Sheffield to third, R Raburn to second on wild pitch by
C Reitsma. C Guillen singled to center, G Sheffield and R Raburn scored.
I Rodriguez flied out to left. J Putz relieved C Reitsma. S Casey grounded out
to pitcher. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) DETROIT 4, SEATTLE 6.

SEATTLE 8TH: R Sexson grounded out to shortstop. A Beltre fouled out to
right. K Johjima struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) DETROIT 4,
SEATTLE 6.

DETROIT 9TH: M Thames struck out looking. B Inge struck out swinging.
C Granderson struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) DETROIT 4, SEATTLE 6.</div>

 

Batista sharp as Mariners win again

<h3>SEATTLE 6, DETROIT 4</h3>SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Miguel Batista pitched six strong inningsand Kenji Johjima hit what proved to be an important grand slamas the Seattle Mariners notched a 6-4 victory over the DetroitTigers on Saturday.


The win ran the Mariners' record to 14-4 over the last 18 gamesand kept them within three games of the first-place Los AngelesAngels of Anaheim (55-35) in the American League West Division.

Batista (9-7) yielded one run and five hits while striking outsix and issuing a pair of walks to earn the win. It marked thesixth start in a row in which the veteran righthander held theopposition to three runs or less.


"It's another big win for us," Mariners closer J.J. Putz said."Miguel went out there and pitched his butt off for six innings,gave us everything he had, kept a good-hitting team down."

Johjima played the hero, opening the lead to 6-1 in the sixthwith his second career grand slam. The former Japanese star hadfour grand slams across the Pacific before joining Seattle atthe beginning of the 2006 season.


"When you're down two strikes, you try to shorten your swing andswing more compact, and that's what I try to do," Johjima saidthrough an interpreter regarding the eight-pitch at-bat thatended with the grand slam. "I'm sure that (Detroit starterKenny Rogers) threw me everything that he had at that at-bat,and I wasn't waiting for that breaking ball, either."

Rogers (3-1) surrendered a leadoff single in the sixth to JoseGuillen and then issued back-to-back walks to Richie Sexson andAdrian Beltre before Johjima made him pay.


"He hit the mistake I made," Rogers said. "I don't want to makethem, but I'm going to make some mistakes. But the walks aresomething that I'm not going to get accustomed to. By far, thewalks are the biggest killer for me. If I don't do that, we'reprobably winning 4-2."


Rogers suffered his first loss since being activated from thedisabled list on June 22. The veteran lefthander was chargedwith all six runs - five earned - and five hits in five-plusframes, walking four without managing a strikeout.

It marked the first time in four starts that Rogers has allowedmore than one earned run.


"(His) control was a little rusty," Detroit manager Jim Leylandsaid. "He hasn't pitched much this year and had the layoff forthe All-Star break. His control wasn't typical Kenny, that wasbasically the problem."


Two relievers bridged the gap to All-Star closer Putz, whopitched a perfect ninth for his 26th save in as manyopportunities. He also set a club record of 28 consecutivesaves dating back to last season, breaking Eddie Guardado's markof 27 set in 2005.


"To have opportunites for the back end of the bullpen to pitch,we have to be winning some games, and we've been winning somegames," Putz said. "It's just nice that we're playing so well."

Curtis Granderson got his team off on the right foot in thefirst with his ninth career leadoff homer. It was the third timethis season Granderson has homered in his team's first at-batand the second time against the Mariners.


Seattle evened the game in the second, when Jose Lopez lifted asacrifice fly to right field to plate Sexson. The Marinerspulled ahead in the fourth, when Yuniesky Betancourt drove inSexson with a single.


The Tigers made it interesting with three runs in the eighth,but Putz held on to seal the victory.