Detroit @ Seattle preview
T-Mobile Park
Last Meeting ( May 25, 2010 ) Detroit 3, Seattle 5
The often topsy-turvy world of Seattle outfielder Milton Bradley finally might be rotating on a steady axis.
Bradley, in interviews this past weekend, revealed that he has had suicidal thoughts in the past couple of seasons as his image as a self-proclaimed “bad guy” denigrated his self-worth.
He associated all of his success with his performance on the baseball field and said he put so much pressure on himself trying to needle opposing teams and fans that he forgot what was important to him.
Bradley sought professional help from the Mariners earlier this month and was on the restricted list for two weeks as he took a break from the game. While he continues counseling, nights like Tuesday’s can only help change his outlook.
Starting at designated hitter and batting cleanup, Bradley hit a two-run homer on the first pitch he saw from Detroit ace Justin Verlander in the first inning.
Verlander subsequently struck Bradley out twice, but the DH didn’t lose focus. He ended Verlander’s night with an RBI single in the eighth that gave Seattle a 4-3 lead.
As Verlander was replaced, a beaming Bradley ran into the Mariners dugout and exchanged high-fives with teammates before returning to first base. Jose Lopez followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Franklin Gutierrez, who had homered off Verlander in the sixth, and Seattle earned a 5-3 victory.
With Verlander finally buckling and minus leading hitter Miguel Cabrera, who is in Miami with his wife for the birth of their second daughter, the Tigers fell to 3-3 on a seven-game trip that ends today.
The Mariners will try for the brief two-game sweep this afternoon at Safeco Field.
Bradley said he had “no worries” as he batted Tuesday night and added he hadn’t felt this at ease since 2006 when he played with Oakland. The homer was Bradley’s first since April 13.
The Mariners will face right-hander Jeremy Bonderman (2-2, 4.43), who played high school baseball about 150 miles from Seattle.
Bonderman can only hope he has a better outing Wednesday than his last time at Safeco Field in April, when he was battered for 10 runs – eight earned – in four innings. He had eight strikeouts and kept Oakland to one run on three hits Thursday.
The Mariners will start left-hander Jason Vargas (3-2, 3.08), who has six consecutive quality starts. Vargas usually is never overpowering but has been steady, allowing only nine runs in 27 2/3 innings in May.
Vargas will be facing Detroit for the first time in his career.