San Diego @ Seattle preview
T-Mobile Park
Last Meeting ( Mar 24, 2010 ) Seattle 1, San Diego 2
In the span of about 10 minutes Thursday, Seattle went from another ho-hum offensive performance that looked like a sixth consecutive loss was inevitable to a stirring rally that led to a 4-3 victory over Toronto when pinch hitter Ken Griffey Jr. singled in the winning run.
After Toronto closer Kevin Gregg walked in Casey Kotchman with the bases loaded, Josh Bard tied the score on a sacrifice fly. Griffey then drove in Milton Bradley for the winning run.
Seven of the Mariners’ past eight games have been decided by one run, and they had lost five of those entering Thursday. They are 5-11 in one-run games this season.
Many Mariners said the inspiration for Thursday’s late rally came at the end of the eighth inning, when manager Don Wakamatsu argued that Ichiro Suzuki was wrongly called out trying to steal second.
Wakamatsu’s jawing with second base umpire Andy Fletcher got him his first ejection as a major league manager and apparently was the spark Seattle needed. The victory was the 100th for Wakamatsu.
The Padres (24-17) come to Seattle atop the National League West, but have had troubles in this interleague “rivalry” series. Seattle is 18-6 against the Padres since 2006 and has won the series four consecutive seasons.
San Diego left-hander Wade LeBlanc (2-1, 1.54 ERA) will start against Seattle lefty Cliff Lee (1-2, 2.08).
LeBlanc has been part of an outstanding Padres’ pitching staff that leads the majors with a 2.78 ERA. In six starts, he has not allowed more than two runs. He can only hope today’s start goes better than his only other appearance at Safeco Field last June 25, when he allowed four runs and five hits in 1 1/3 innings, including a home run and double by Suzuki.
In 30 1/3 innings, Lee has 25 strikeouts and one walk and had yet to give up a home run. Lee also has the best interleague mark among all pitchers at 12-2. Lee has no-decisions in two starts against the Padres with a 1.35 ERA.
The Padres will be without outfielder Kyle Blanks, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a strained right elbow. Reliever Adam Russell was called up from Triple-A Portland to take his roster spot.