#153: Mariners Can Crow If They Win Sunday

GAME: Rangers (89-62, 1st, AL West, + 4.0 GA) at Mariners (72-80, 4th, AL West, – 17.5 GB). GAME #: 153. SERIES: 3rd of 3 games. MEETING: 19th (series tied 9-9). WHEN: Sunday, 1:10 p.m., Safeco Field. PROBABLE PITCHERS: RHP Ryan Dempster (Texas, 6-1, 4.11) vs. LHP Jason Vargas (Seattle, 14-10, 3.92). STREAKS: Mariners W 2; Rangers L 2. TV: ROOT Sports, MLB TV. RADIO: ESPN 710 (Seattle), Mariners Radio Network

Other than the perfect game by Felix Hernandez Aug. 15 and the six-man no-hitter June 8, the Mariners don’t have much to brag about this season. But if they defeat Texas Sunday, they can crow over sweeping the Rangers for the first time since 2008 and for winning a season series from the likely AL West champions for the first time since 2007. This year’s series is tied at 9 after the Mariners won 1-0 Saturday night.

Jason Vargas will make his AL-leading 32nd start Sunday against a Rangers club that saddled him with four runs on six hits in 5.2 innings when the teams met in Arlington last week. Vargas is seeking a career-high 15th victory and will oppose Ryan Dempster, who gave up five runs on six its in 3.1 innings last Tuesday in an 11-3 loss to the Angels. A closer look at Sunday’s matchup:

MARINERS: LHP Jason Vargas (14-10, 3.92 ERA, 1.17 WHIP)

The 29-year-old Vargas, in his seventh major league season and fifth with the Mariners, will make his league-high 32nd start and fourth against the Rangers. Vargas, the American League Pitcher of the Month for July, is 1-1 against the Rangers. He lost at Texas 5-3 April 12 and defeated the Rangers 10-3 at Texas, May 29. Vargas, who split his last four decisions, is coming off a no-decision against the Rangers Sept. 15 in Arlington.

A native of Apple Valley, CA., the 6-0, 215-pound Vargas was selected in the second round of the 2004 amateur draft by the Florida Marlins.

He made his debut with Florida July 14, 2005, pitching one inning of relief in a 13-7 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Mariners acquired Vargas as part of a three-team swap Dec. 11, 2008, when the New York Mets sent him along with Mike Carp, Ezequiel Carrera, Endy Chavez, Maikel Cleto and Aaron Heilman to the Mariners. The Mariners sent Sean Green, J.J. Putz and Jeremy Reed to the Mets.

The Mariners also sent Luis Valbuena to the Indians. The Mets sent Joe Smith to the  Indians, who sent Franklin Gutierrez to the Mariners.

Vargas, the only lefty in Seattle’s starting rotation, has a career record of 41-48, 4.38 ERA, including 35-40, 4.11 ERA with the Mariners.

Vargas has had just three outings of less than five innings this year, and has won seven of his past 10 decisions.

• LAST START: Sept. 15 at Texas, took a no-decision in Seattle’s 8-6 victory; four earned runs on six hits in 5.2 innings; four strikeouts, three walks, one home run; 104 pitches, 58 for strikes.
• LAST VS. RANGERS: Same as above.
• CAREER VS. RANGERS: 4-5, 4.70 ERA in 14 games, including 12 starts, covering 76.2 innings; 40 strikeouts to 23 walks; 4.7 strikeouts per nine innings; 13 home runs.
• AT SAFECO FIELD: 21-19, 3.37 ERA in 58 games, including 54 starts, covering 355.2 inning; 244 strikeouts to 93 walks; 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings; 32 home runs.
• LOVES TO FACE: David Murphy (0-for-14), Adrian Beltre (1-for-15, .067 BA), Mitch Moreland (1-for-9, .111 BA).
• HATES TO FACE: Ian Kinsler (10-for-28, .357 BA), Mike Napoli (1-for-33, .333 BA), Nelson Cruz (7-for-23, .304 BA).
• CURRENT RANGERS VS. VARGAS: 58-for-230, .252 BA, 11 home runs, 35 strikeouts.

Vargas / 2012

• March 29 (ND, 0-0): Pitched well enough to win in Tokyo, but after he departed the game, the bullpen imploded, surrendering three home runs, greasing Seattle’s 4-1 defeat to Oakland.
• April 6 (W, 1-0): Threw 91 pitches, 58 for strikes, finishing with an in-game ERA of 2.31 in a 7-3 victory over Oakland, Vargas’ first win.
• April 12 (L, 1-1): Four earned runs on seven hits and lost to Derek Holland and the Rangers 5-3 in Arlington; fanned six and walked one; gave up a two-run bomb to Michael Young, who had four RBIs; threw 96 pitches, 63 strikes.
• April 18 (W, 2-1): One earned run on four hits over 7 innings, defeating Indians, 4-1; had nine ground-ball outs and nine fly-ball outs.
• April 24 (W, 3-1): Four runs on six hits, defeating Max Scherzer and the Tigers 7-4 in a game in which the Mariners banged out 15 hits; struck out four, walked one in a 94-pitch effort that included 61 strikes.
• April 29 (L, 3-2): Two earned runs on four hits over 6.0 innings and suffered the loss to the Blue Jays; struck out four, walked three; season-high 111 pitches, 60 for strikes.
• May 4 (ND, 3-2): No-decision in Seattle’s 3-2 loss to Minnesota at Safeco Field; one earned run on four hits over 6.1 innings, but lost a chance to win on Wilhelmsen’s throwing error.
• May 9 (W, 4-2): Defeated Detroit 2-1 at Safeco Field; one run on five hits over 8.0 innings; struck out six and didn’t issue a walk; threw 90 pitches, 66 for strikes.
• May 14 (L, 4-3): At Fenway Park, lost to Red Sox 6-1; five earned runs on seven hits over 6.0 innings; struck out three, walked three; two home runs.
• May 19 (W, 5-3): At Coors Field, won his fifth decision of the year, defeating Colorado 10-3; three earned runs on five hits over 7.0 innings; struck out one, walked one and gave up one home run; threw 95 pitches, 64 for strikes.
• May 24 (L, 5-4): At Safeco Field, lost to the Angels 3-0 in a game in which Dan Haren registered 14 strikeouts; three earned runs on seven hits in 7.0 innings; struck out six, walked none; one home run.
• May 29 (W, 6-4): At Rangers Ballpark, defeated the Texas Rangers 10-3; three earned runs on five hits in 6.2 innings; struck out three, walked two and allowed a home run; threw 101 pitches, 61 for strikes.
• June 4 (W, 7-4): At Angels Stadium, defeated the Angels 8-6; three earned runs on five hits in 6.2 innings; struck out two, walked three; one home run; threw 101 pitches, 61 for strikes.
• June 9 (L, 7-5): 8-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Safeco Field; five earned runs on nine hits over 6.0 innings; struck out three, walked one; one home run.
• June 15 (L, 7-6): Vs. San Francisco, lost 4-2; four earned runs on 10 hits in 8.0 innings; struck out one, walked two, two home runs; threw 106 pitches, 70 for strikes.
• June 20 (L, 7-7): At Arizona, lost 14-10; season-high 10 earned runs on 10 hits, including five home runs in a season-low 4.1 innings; struck out two, walked two.
• June 26 (ND, 7-7): At Safeco Field,  a no-decision in a 3-2 win over Oakland Athletics; two runs on five hits in 7.0 innings; struck out a career-high 10 and walked two.
• July 1 (ND, 7-7): At Safeco Field, lost to Boston 2-1; one run on five hits over 8.0 innings; struck out six, walked two, one home run.
• July 7 (W, 8-7): Vs. Oakland at Safeco Field, defeated the Athletics 7-1 with a complete-game seven-hitter; struck out six and walked one, throwing 107 pitches, 66 for strikes.
• July 16 (W, 9-7): At Kansas City, won 9-4; three earned runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings; struck out three, walked three, two home runs.
• July 21 (W, 10-7): At Tampa Bay, won 2-1; one unearned run on seven hits in 6.0 innings; struck out five, walked three, threw 108 pitches, 67 for strikes.
• July 26 (W, 11-7): At Safeco Field, defeated Kansas City 4-1 for his 11th win; one earned run on one hit over 8.0 innings; struck out five and walked three.
• July 31 (W, 12-7): At Safeco Field, defeated Toronto 7-2; two earned runs on five hits over 7.0 innings; four strikeouts, two walks, no home runs; 103 pitches, 70 for strikes.
• Aug. 6 (L, 12-8): At Baltimore, lost 3-1; three earned runs on eight hits over 8.0 innings; two strikeouts, no walks, one home run; 105 pitches, 73 for strikes.
• Aug. 12 (W, 13-8): At Anaheim, pitched his best game of the season, allowing one earned run on seven hits in 8.1 innings; five strikeouts, one walk; 96 pitches, 69 for strikes.
• Aug. 18 (ND, 13-8): Vs. Minnesota at Safeco Field, took a no-decision in Seattle’s 3-2 victory; two earned runs on eight hits over 6.2 innings; two strikeouts vs. one walk, no home runs; 113 pitches, 76 for strikes.
• Aug. 24 (ND, 13-8): At U.S. Cellular Field, took a no-decision in a 9-8 walk-off loss to Chicago;  six earned runs, including three homers, on seven hits in a season-low 4.0 innings; two strikeouts to no walks.
• Aug. 29 (L, 13-9): At Minneapolis, lost 10-0; five earned runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings; five strikeouts to two walks; two home runs.
• Sept. 3 (W, 14-9): At Safeco Field, defeated Boston 4-1; one earned run on six hits over 7.0 innings; five strikeouts, no walks; 102 pitches, 71 for strikes.
• Sept. 9 (L, 14-10): At Safeco Field, lost to Oakland 4-2; three earned runs on four hits over 7.0 innings; six strikeouts to three walks; one home run; 101 pitches, 61 for strikes.
• Sept. 15 (ND, 14-10): At Texas, took a no-decision in Seattle’s 8-6 victory; four earned runs on six hits in 5.2 innings; four strikeouts, three walks, one home run; 104 pitches, 58 for strikes.

RANGERS: RHP Ryan Dempster (6-1, 4.11 ERA, 1.29 WHIP)

The 35-year-old Dempster, in his 15th major league season and first with the Rangers, will make his ninth start and first against the Mariners. Dempster, who began the year with the Chicago Cubs, has gone 6-1 since his acquisition by Texas, has won his last five decisions, and is coming off a 5-2 win over the Cleveland Indians Sept. 12 at Rangers Ballpark.

A Native of Sechelt, British Columbia, the 6-2, 215-pound Dempster attended Gibsons High School in Bigsons, B.C., before the Rangers selected him in the third round of the 1995 amateur draft. A year after taking him, the Rangers traded Dempster to the Florida Marlins for John Burkett.

Dempster pitched in Florida’s minor league system until May 23, 1998, when he made his major league debut in a 10-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dempster did not factor in the decision.

Dempster pitched for the Marlins from 1998-02, winning 42 games, including 15 in 2001 when he led the National League with 112 walks. The Marlins traded Dempster to Cincinnati in mid-2002, and Dempster pitched for the Reds for two years before they released him in 2003. Dempster then signed as a free agent with the Cubs, and his best season for them in 2008 when he won 17 games.

Dempster has recorded double figures in wins in each of the past five seasons, most recently going 10-14 for the 2011 Cubs. Before the Cubs traded him to Texas July 31, 2012, Dempster compiled a record of 5-4, 2.25 ERA in 16 starts.

• 2012: Since joining the Rangers, Dempster has pitched into the sixth inning in all seven starts. He has allowed three or fewer earned runs in five of those starts. Dempster has been hit hard just once, allowing eight earned runs on nine hits Aug. 13 at New York.
• LAST START: Sept. 12 vs. Cleveland, won 5-2; two earned runs on seven hits in 7.0 innings; eight strikeouts, one walk, no home runs; 103 pitches, 69 for strikes.
• LAST VS. MARINERS: June 22, 2010, pitching for Chicago, took the loss in a 2-0 Seattle victory; two earned runs on five hits in 8.0 innings; eight strikeouts, two walks, one home run.
• CAREER VS. MARINERS: 0-1, 1.80 ERA in three games, including one start, covering 10.0 innings; 10 strikeouts to two walks; 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings.
• AT SAFECO FIELD: 0-1, 2.25 ERA in one start covering 8.0 innings; eight strikeouts to two walks; no home runs.
• LOVES/HATES TO FACE: Except for SS Brendan Ryan, current Mariners have had limited exposure to Dempster. Ryan is 5-for-13, .333 BA, and only one other Mariner, Franklin Gutierrez, has a hit off him.

AL WEST STANDINGS

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road	Last 10	Streak
Rangers	89	61	.589	—	47-27	42-35	5-5	Lost 2
Athletics	85	66	.563	4.0	44-31	41-35	4-6	Lost 2
Angels	83	69	.546	6.5	43-34	40-35	6-4	Won 2
Mariners	72	80	.474	17.5	38-39	34-41	4-6	Won 2

MARINERS / STATS NOTES

• CURRENT HOME STAND: Three vs. Baltimore, three vs. Texas (Friday-Sunday).
• HOME STAND PROMOTIONS: Sunday — Dave Henderson ceremonial first pitch; Kids Appreciation Day; Mariners Care Garage Sale.
  
• MARINERS VS. RANGERS: Mariners 267-273 all-time vs. the Rangers, including 66-53 at Safeco Field. Mariners last swept a three-game series from Texas at Safeco Field Sept. 28-30, 2008. Rangers last swept at Safeco Field April 30-May 2, 2010.
  
• LOG: The Mariners defeated Matt Harrison Saturday, snapping his 10-game winning streak against them. He was seeking to become the first pitcher with five wins against the Mariners in a season . . . Only Dave Stewart (14) and Pedro Martinez (12) had more consecutive decisions against the Mariners than Harrison . . . Blake Beavan, who earned his 10th victory against 10 losses, was the Rangers’ first-round pick in 2007. “I’m from there, it means a lot for me to beat them,” said Beavan who lives only a few blocks from Rangers ballpark . . . Beavan lost a 1-0 game to Texas in his first start in April . . . The Mariners held Dustin Ackley out of the lineup Saturday to give him additional time to recover from a sore neck . . . Justin Smoak hit .340 in the first 15 games of September.
• SEASON SUMMARY: Series Record: Won 22, Split 2, Lost 26 . . . Sweeps: 6; Swept: 7 . . . Longest Win Streak: 8 (Aug. 15-21); Longest Losing Streak: 7 (April 28-May 4) . . . vs. AL East: 18-28; vs. AL Central: 24-16; vs. AL West: 21-26; vs. LAA: 5-8; vs. Oak: 7-9; vs. Tex: 9-9; vs. NL West: 8-10; vs. Interleague: 8-10 . . . Biggest Lead: 1.0, April 7; Farthest Behind: 19.0, Sept. 19 . . . Most Runs Scored: 21, May 30 at Texas (21-8); Most Runs Allowed: 11, April 9 at Texas . . . Walk-Off Wins: 6, May 7, first since Sept. 14, 2011 vs. New York, and first via a sacrifice fly (John Jaso) since Sept. 14, 2007 vs. Tampa Bay (Jose Guillen); June 17 vs. San Francisco (Justin Smoak ninth-inning single); June 28 vs. Boston (Jaso ph ninth-inning single); June 30 vs. Boston (Chone Figgins sacrifice fly 11th inning); Aug. 14, vs. Tampa, Eric Thames ninth-inning single scored Figgins; Aug. 18 vs. Minnesota, John Jaso sacrifice fly in ninth inning . . . Walk-Off Losses: 9, April 30 at Tampa Bay, Elliott Johnson, RBI single in 12th off Brandon League; May 17, at Cleveland, Carlos Santana bases-loaded single off League in 11th; July 6, at Oakland, Chris Carter 3-run walk-off homer off Steve Delabar; July 7, at Oakland, Josh Reddick run-scoring double off Oliver Perez in 13th; July 18, at Kansas City, Billy Butler, home run off Josh Kinney in bottom 9th; July 20, at Tampa Bay, Ben Zobrist double off Tom Wilhelmsen in bottom 14th; Aug. 7, Adam Jones 14th-inning single off Shawn Kelley in bottom 14th; Aug. 10, Josh Kinney wild pitched in the winning run (Bourjos) with the bases loaded in the ninth inning at Anaheim; Aug. 24, Paul Konerko double in ninth off Wilhelmsen . . . Times Opponent Shut out: 10; Times Shut out by Opponent: 12; Comeback Wins: 21; Largest Comeback: 3; Blown Leads: 34; Largest Comeback: 3.
• BATTING: Mariners rank 14th (AL) in runs (571), 14th in hits (1197), 13th in doubles (218), eighth in triples (26) and 11th in home runs (136) . . . Rank 14th in batting average (.233) . . . 14th in on-base percentage (.294), 14th in slugging (.364) and 14th in OPS (.658) . . . Batting 266-for-1115 (.240) with runners in scoring position after going 0-for-6 Saturday . . . Batting Average: John Jaso, .277; Hits: Kyle Seager, 142; Runs: Dustin Ackley, 80; Home Runs: Kyle Seager, 18; RBIs: Kyle Seager, 81 . . Batted around seven times: April 7 at Oakland (4th inning), April 9 at Texas (1st), April 17 vs. Cleveland (4th), May 29 at Texas (8th), May 30 at Texas (2nd and 3rd), Aug. 24 at Chicago (9th).
• BATTING EXTRA: Longest Hitting Streak: Dustin Ackley, 13 games, May 3-17 . . . Four-Hit Games: Ichiro, March 28 vs. Oakland; Justin Smoak, April 17 vs. Cleveland; Jesus Montero, May 1 at Tampa; Kyle Seager, May 30 at Texas; Michael Saunders, June 2, at Chicago; Ichiro, June 19 at Arizona; Franklin Gutierrez, June 22 at San Diego . . . Grand Slams (2): Michael Saunders, April 27 at Toronto; Alex Liddi, May 23 vs. Texas . . . Back-To-Back Home Runs (3): Jesus Montero, Justin Smoak, 3rd inning, May 20, at Colorado; Miguel Olivo, Dustin Ackley, 8th inning, July 2, vs. Baltimore; Franklin Gutierrez, Kyle Seager, 3rd inning, Sept. 4, vs. Boston.
• PITCHING: Mariners third in ERA (3.74), third in hits allowed (1265), third in runs allowed (606), fifth in home runs allowed (156), fourth in walks (420) and ninth in strikeouts (1091) . . . Games: Tom Wilhelmsen, 70; Starts: Jason Vargas, Felix Hernandez, 31; Wins: Vargas, 14; ERA: Hernandez 2.85; Complete Games: Hernandez 5 . . . Shutouts: Hernandez 5; Saves: Wilhelmsen, 29.
• DEBUTS: Munenori Kawasaki (April 7), Lucas Luetge (April 7), Erasmo Ramirez (April 9), Hisashi Iwakuma (April 20), Stephen Pryor (June 2), Carter Capps (Aug. 3), Luis Jimenez (Sept. 5), Carlos Triunfel (Sept. 7).
  
• DISABLED LIST: George Sherrill (60-day, April 13, strained flexor bundle).
• EX-MARINERS VS. CURRENT MARINERS: April 19, Jack Hannahan, Indians, 2-run single in ninth off Brandon League in Tribe’s 2-1 win; April 28, Brandon Morrow, Blue Jays, one earned run over 7.0 innings in 7-0 win; May 11, Raul Ibanez, Yankees, 3-run homer off Felix Hernandez in 6-2 win; May 12, Raul Ibanez, Yankees, solo homer off Hector Noesi in 6-2 win; May 15, David Ortiz, Red Sox, solo homer off Blake Beaven in 5-0 Red Sox win; May 16, Shin-Soo Choo (3), Asdrubal Cabrera (2) and Jose Lopez (1) combined for 6 hits in 9-3 Cleveland win; May 17, Casey Kotchman (2), Cabrera (2), Jose Lopez (1), Choo (1) had six of Cleveland’s 10 hits, plus 5 RBIs, in a 6-5 win; July 4, Chris Tillman recorded first win of the year in a 4-2 Baltimore win by allowing two runs over 8.1 innings; July 13, Adrian Beltre two-run HR off Kevin Millwood in a 3-2 Texas win at Safeco Field; July 15, Beltre had three hits and two RBIs in a 4-0 Texas win over Seattle at Safeco Field; July 23, Four ex-Mariners played roles in beating the Mariners 4-1: Ichiro, traded 3 1/2 hours before the opening pitch, singled and stole his 16th base; Alex Rodriguez belted his 40th career home run at Safeco Field; Raul Ibanez had an RBI single; Rafael Soriano notched the save; July 26, Soriano notched his 26th save in New York’s 5-2 win over the Mariners at Safeco Field; Aug. 5, Raul Ibanez clubbed a three-run homer, Freddy Garcia won his 150th career game and Ichiro extended his hitting streak to 12 games as the Yankees defeated the Mariners 6-2; Aug. 6, Chris Tillman took a three-hit shutout into the eighth and defeated the Mariners 3-1 at Camden Yards; Aug. 7, Adam Jones walk-off single against Shawn Kelley in the bottom of the 14th gave Baltimore an 8-7 win over Seattle; Sept. 17, Chris Tillman beat the Mariners for the fourth time in 2012 and Adam Jones scored four runs in Baltimore’s 10-4 victory; Sept. 19, Adam Jones game-winning home run in the 11th gave Baltimore a 3-1 win.

2012 RECORDS / MILESTONES

• April 24: Catcher Miguel Olivo matched the franchise record when he was charged with three passed balls in a 7-4 win at Detroit. Jerry Narron let three balls get by him Oct. 4, 1980, and Jeff Clement did likewise Aug. 10, 2008 (Clement was catching knuckleballer R.A. Dickey).
• April 27: Michael Saunders joined Donnie Scott (April 29, 1985) and Jimmy Presley (April 8, 1986) as the only Mariners to hit two home runs in a game in the ninth inning or later (solo homer in the 9th, grand slam in the 10th).
• April 30: When both Miguel Olivo and Jesus Montero homered, it marked the first time in franchise history that two players had homered in the same game as a catcher.
• May 2: Ichiro set a club record for most putouts by a right fielder in a nine-inning game, registering 10 in a 5-4 loss at Tampa.
• May 3: The Mariners featured a lineup at Tampa Bay that included seven left- handed hitters and two switch-hitters. It marked only the third time in club history that the Mariners used an all left-sided lineup. Others: Aug. 13, 1983 at California and Aug. 9, 1983 at Oakland.
• May 5: Combined one-hitter by Felix Hernandez and Steve Delabar vs. Minnesota was the 13th in Mariners history. Ten have been thrown by one pitcher, three combined. Most recent combined: Michael Pineda, Jeff Gray and Brandon League vs. Tampa, July 30, 2011. Most recent by one pitcher: Jarrod Washburn, July 6, 2009.
• May 9: When John Jaso batted leadoff against Detroit, it marked the first time since 1978 that a catcher had hit first for the Marines (Bob Stinson). Oddly, lefty Jaso led off against Tiger lefty Drew Smyly.
• May 8: Kevin Millwood’s 2-0 shutout marked his first in nearly nine years. He did not surrender his first hit until there were two outs in the sixth. Millwood’s gem marked only the fourth time in 1,440 games at Coors Field that an opposing pitcher held the Rockies to two hits or less while shutting them out. Millwood’s complete game also was the first by a Mariner in 2012.
• May 27: The pinch-hit grand slam allowed by Felix Hernandez to Alberto Callaspo marked just the sixth against the Mariners in 35 years, and the first since May 6, 1988 when Pat Sheridan of Detroit hit one off Mike Jackson.
• May 30: Mariners defeated Texas 21-8, just the third time in franchise history they have scored 20 or more runs in a game. The Mariners, with 20 hits, became the first team since 1880 to score 20 runs in a game in the same season it also go perfect-oed.
• June 8: Kevin Millwood and five relievers collaborated for the 10th combined no-hitter in major league history in a 1-0 win over the Dodgers at Safeco Field. Millwood (6.0), Charlie Furbush (0.2), Stephen Pryor (0.1), Lucas Luetge (0.1), Brandon League (0.2), and Tom Wilhelmsen (1.0) tied the MLB record for most pitchers used in a no-hitter (Houston vs. the Yankees June 11, 2003). It marked the third no-hitter in Mariners history.
• June 18: Aaron Hill of Arizona hit for the cycle in the Diamondbacks’ 7-1 win over the Mariners. Hill singled in the first (Hector Noesi), tripled in the third (Noesi), doubled in the fifth (Noesi) and homered in the seventh (Shawn Kelley).
• June 19: Ichiro reached 2,500 hits (first-inning single) in the fourth-fewest games in major league history during a 12-9 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. His 2,500th hit came in his 1,817th game. Al Simmons had 2,500 hits in 1,784 games, Ty Cobb in 1,790 and George Sisler in 1,808 . . . When Kyle Seager and Brendan Ryan both hit three-run homers in the fifth inning, it marked the first time since July 30, 2003 vs. Detroit that the Mariners had a pair of three-run bombs in the same inning. In that July 30, 2003 game, John Olerud hit a three-run homer and Randy Winn a grand slam in the first inning.
• July 1: One-time Mariner farmhand David Ortiz of the Red Sox hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th inning, giving Boston a 2-1 win over the Mariners.
• July 3: In Seattle’s 6-3 win over Baltimore at Safeco Field, The Mariners had three Japanese players in the starting lineup – Ichiro Suzuki, Munenori Kawasaki and Hisashi Iwakuma – for the first time in major league history.
• July 23: Mariners traded Ichiro, face of the franchise for 11 1/2 years, to the Yankees for two prospects and cash considerations. Ichiro made his debut against Seattle with the Yankees at Safeco field and went 1-for-4 with a stolen base.
• Aug. 15: Felix Hernandez threw the 23rd perfect game in major league history, defeating Tampa Bay 1-0 at Safeco Field. Hernandez recorded 12 strikeouts in throwing the third no-hitter in franchise history . . . Mariners became the first team in MLB history to throw a perfect game and have one thrown against them. It was also the first time two have been thrown in the same stadium in one season . . . Of the 22 previous perfect games, six were by 1-0 scores, the last by Roy Halladay May 29, 2010 at Florida. It was also the fourth 1-0 win for the Mariners this season . . .Hernandez became the second Latin American pitcher to do the deed (Nicaragua’s Dennis Martinez for Montreal July 28, 1991, against the Dodgers).
• Sept. 18: Seattle’s 18-inning, 4-2 loss to Baltimore at Safeco Field marked the second-longest home game in Mariners history and the longest — 5:44 — in terms of time since a 5:47 marathon at Texas in June 2004. The only longer game in terms of innings was a 19-inning affair against the Boston Red Sox Aug. 1, 2000.

MARINERS WON-LOSS BREAKDOWN

Rec.	Home	Road	Day	Night	vs. RHP	vs. LHP	Hit HR	No HR
72-80	38-39	34-41	21-27	51-52	47-51	25-28	51-40	21-39

MARINERS BATTING PROFILE

Avg.	Home	Road	R	HR	OBP	SLG	OPS	RISP
.233	.217	.247	571	136	.294	.364	.658	.239

MARINERS PITCHING PROFILE

Rec.	ERA	IP	R	ER	HR	BA	OBP	SLG
72-80	3.74	1370.0	606	568	156	.246	.306	.391

PROBABLE PITCHERS

Date	Day	Opp.	Probable Pitchers
9/23	Sun	vs. TX	Jason Vargas (14-10, 3.92) vs. Ryan Dempster (6-1, 4.11)
9/25	Tue	at LAA	Erasmo Ramirez (1-2, 3.28) vs. TBA
9/26	Wed	at LAA	Felix Hernandez (13-8, 2.85) vs. TBA
9/27	Thr	at LAA	Hisashi Iwakuma (7-5, 3.41) vs. TBA

MARINERS 2012 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

March (1-1)

Gm.#	Date	Opp.	W/L	Rec.	Win / Loss
1	3/28	at Oak	W, 3-1	1-0	W: Wilhelmsen (1-0); L: Carignan (0-1)
2	3/29	at Oak	L, 4-1	1-1	W: Colon (1-0); L: Kelley (0-1)

April (10-12)

Gm. #	Date	Opp.	W/L	Rec.	Win / Loss
3	4/6	at Oak	W, 7-3	2-1	W: Vargas (1-0); L: McCarthy (0-1)
4	4/7	at Oak	W, 8-7	3-1	W: Hernandez (1-0); L: Colon (1-1)
5	4/9	at Tex	L, 11-5	3-2	W: Darvish (1-0); L: Noesi (0-1)
6	4/10	at Tex	L, 1-0	3-3	W: Feliz (1-0); L: Beavan (0-1)
7	4/11	at Tex	W, 4-3	4-3	W: Luetge (1-0); L: Nathan (0-2)
8	4/12	at Tex	L, 5-3	4-4	W: Holland (1-0); L: Vargas (1-1
9	4/13	vs Oak	L, 4-0	4-5	W: Colon (2-1); L: Hernandez (1-1)
10	4/14	vs. Oak	W, 4-0	5-5	W: Noesi (1-1); L: Milone (1-1)
11	4/15	vs. Oak	W, 5-3	6-5	W: Beavan (1-1); L: Godfrey (0-2)
12	4/17	vs. Cle	L, 9-8	6-6	W: Perez (0-1); L: Furbush (0-1)
13	4/18	vs. Cle	W, 4-1	7-6	W: Vargas (2-1); L: Lowe (2-1)
14	4/19	vs. Cle	L, 2-1	7-7	W: Tomlin (1-1); L: League (0-1)
15	4/20	vs. CWS	L, 7-3	7-8	W: Sale (2-1); L: Noesi (1-2)
16	4/21	vs. CWS	L, 4-0	7-9	W: Humber (1-0); Beavan (1-2)
17	4/22	vs. CWS	L, 7-4	7-10	W: Danks (2-2); L: Millwood (0-1)
18	4/24	at Det	W, 7-4	8-10	W: Vargas (3-1); L: Scherzer (1-2)
19	4/25	at Det	W, 9-1	9-10	W: Fernandez (2-1); L: Wilk (0-3)
20	4/26	at Det	W, 5-4	10-10	W: Furbush (1-1); L: Porcello (1-2)
21	4/27	at Tor	W, 9-5	11-10	W: Furbush (2-1); L: Perez (2-1)
22	4/28	at Tor	L, 7-0	11-11	W: Morrow (2-1); L: Millwood (0-2)
23	4/29	at Tor	L, 7-2	11-12	W: Alvarez (1-2); L: Vargas (3-2)
24	4/30	at TB	L, 3-2	11-13	W: Howell (1-0); L: League (0-2)

May (12-17)

Gm. #	Date	Opp.	W/L	Rec.	Win / Loss
25	5/1	at TB	L, 3-1	11-14	W: Moore (1-1); L: Noesi (1-3)
26	5/2	at TB	L, 5-4	11-15	W: Shields (5-0); L: Beavan (1-3)
27	5/3	at TB	L, 4-3	11-16	W: Niemann (2-3); L: Millwood (0-3)
28	5/4	vs. Min	L, 3-2	11-17	W: Pavano (2-2); L: Wilhelmsen (1-1)
29	5/5	vs. Min	W, 7-0	12-17	W: Hernandez (3-1); L: Marquis (2-1)
30	5/6	vs. Min	W, 5-2	13-17	W: Noesi (2-3): L: Blackburn (0-4)
31	5/7	vs. Det	W, 3-2	14-17	W: Delabar (1-0); L: Dotel (1-1)
32	5/8	vs. Det	L, 6-4	14-18	W: Verlander (3-1); L: Millwood (0-4)
33	5/9	vs. Det	W, 2-1	15-18	W: Vargas (4-2); L: Putkoen (0-1)
34	5/11	at NYY	L, 6-2	15-19	W: Kuroda (3-4); L: Hernandez (3-2)
35	5/12	at NYY	L, 6-2	15-20	W: Hughes (3-4); L: Noesi (2-4)
36	5/13	at NYY	W, 6-2	16-20	W: Millwood (1-4); L: Pettitte (0-1)
37	5/14	at Bos	L, 6-1	16-21	L: Lester (2-3); L: Vargas (4-3)
38	5/15	at Bos	L, 5-0	16-22	W: Beckett (3-4); L: Beavan (1-4)
39	5/16	at Cle	L, 9-3	16-23	W: Jimenez (4-3): L: Hernandez (3-3)
40	5/17	at Cle	L, 6-5	16-24	W: Smith (4-1); L: League (0-3)
41	5/18	at Col	W, 4-0	17-24	W: Millwood (2-4); L: White (0-3)
42	5/19	at Col	W, 10-3	18-24	W: Vargas (5-3); L: Friedrich (1-1)
43	5/20	at Col	W, 6-4	19-24	W: Beavan (2-4); L: Guthrie (2-2)
44	5/21	vs. Tex	W, 6-1	20-24	W: Hernandez (4-3); L: Darvish (6-2)
45	5/22	vs. Tex	L, 3-1	20-25	W: Harrison (5-3): L: Noesi (2-5)
46	5/23	vs. Tex	W, 5-3	21-25	W: Millwood (3-4); L: Feldman (0-2)
47	5/24	vs. LAA	L, 3-0	21-26	W: Haren (2-5); L: Vargas (5-4)
48	5/25	vs. LAA	L, 6-4	21-27	W: Isringhausen (1-0); L: League (0-4)
49	5/26	vs. LAA	L, 5-3	21-28	W: Williams (5-2); L: Hernandez (4-4)
50	5/27	vs. LAA	L, 4-2	21-29	W: Wilson (5-4); L: Noesi (2-6)
51	5/28	at Tex	L, 4-2	21-30	W: Harrison (6-3); L: Delabar (1-1)
52	5/29	at Tex	W, 10-3	22-30	W: Vargas (6-4); L: Feldman (0-3)
53	5/30	at Tex	W, 21-8	23-30	W: Beaven (3-4); L: Holland (4-4)

June (11-16)

Gm. #	Date	Opp.	W/L	Rec.	Win / Loss
54	6/1	at CWS	L, 7-4	23-31	W: Jesse Crain (1-0); L: Shawn Kelly (0-2)
55	6/2	at CWS	W, 10-8	24-31	W: Wilhelmsen (2-1); L: Reed (0-1)
56	6/3	at CWS	L, 4-2	24-32	W: Sale (7-2); L: Millwood (3-5)
57	6/4	at LAA	W, 8-6	25-32	W: Vargas (7-4); L: Santana (2-7)
58	6/5	at LAA	L, 6-1	25-33	W: Richards (1-0); L: Beavan (3-5)
59	6/6	at LAA	W, 8-6	26-33	W: Kelley (1-2); L: Williams (6-3)
60	6/8	vs. LAD	W, 1-0	27-33	W: Pryor (1-0); L: Elbert (0-1)
61	6/9	vs. LAD	L, 8-3	-27-34	W: Kershaw (5-3): L: Vargas (7-5)
62	6/10	vs. LAD	L, 8-2	27-35	W: Billingsley (4-4); L: Beavan (3-6)
63	6/12	vs. SDP	L, 5-4	27-36	W: Richard (3-7); L: Hernandez (4-5)
64	6/13	vs. SDP	L, 1-0	27-37	W: Marquis (3-5); L: Noesi (2-7)
65	6/14	vs. SDP	L, 6-2	27-38	W: Volquez (3-6); L: Ramirez (0-1)
66	6/15	vs. SF	L, 4-2	27-39	W: Vogelsong (6-2); L: Vargas (7-6)
67	6/16	vs. SF	W, 7-4	28-39	W: Iwakuma (1-0); L: Lincecum (2-8)
68	6/17	vs. SF	W, 2-1	29-39	W: Wilhelmsen (3-1); L: Romo (2-1)
69	6/18	at AZ	L, 7-1	29-40	W: Miley (8-3); L: Noesi (2-8)
70	6/19	at AZ	W, 12-9	30-40	W: Furbush (3-1); L: Putz (1-4)
71	6/20	at AZ	L, 14-10	30-41	W: Cahill (6-5): L: Vargas (7-7)
72	6/22	at SDP	L, 9-5	30-42	W: Richard (5-7); L: Millwood (3-6)
73	6/23	at SDP	W, 5-1	31-42	W: Fernandez (5-5); L: Marquis (3-7)
74	6/24	at SDP	L, 2-0	31-43	W: Volquez (4-7); L: Noesi (2-9)
75	6/25	vs. Oak	L, 1-0	31-44	W: Milone (8-5); L: Ramirez (0-2)
76	6/26	vs. Oak	W, 3-2	32-44	W: Furbush (4-1); L: Miller (2-1)
77	6/27	vs. Oak	L, 2-1	32-45	W: Parker (4-3); L: Iwakuma (1-1)
78	6/28	vs. Bos	W, 1-0	33-45	W: Hernandez (6-5); L: Atchison (2-1)
79	6/29	vs. Bos	L, 5-0	33-46	W: Cook (2-1); L: Noesi (2-10)
80	6/30	vs. Bos	W, 3-2	34-46	W: Kelley (2-2); L: Aceves (0-5)

July (15-11)

Gm. #	Date	Opp.	W/L	Rec.	Win / Loss
81	7/1	vs. Bos	L, 2-1	34-47	W: Padilla (2-0); L: League (0-5)
82	7/2	vs. Bal	W, 6-3	35-47	W: Delabar (2-1); L: Hammel (8-4)
83	7/3	vs. Bal	L, 5-4	35-48	W: Day (5-0); L: Furbush (4-2)
84	7/4	vs. Bal	L, 4-2	35-49	W: Tillman (1-0); L: Noesi (2-11)
85	7/6	at Oak	L, 4-2	35-50	W: Norberto (1-1); L: Perez (0-1)
86	7/7	at Oak	W, 7-1	36-50	W: Vargas (8-7); L: Parker (5-4)
87	7/8	at Oak	L, 2-1	36-51	W: Norberto (2-1); L: Perez (0-2)
88	7/13	vs. Tex	L, 3-2	36-52	W: Holland (6-4); L: Millwood (3-7)
89	7/14	vs. Tex	W, 7-0	37-52	W: Hernandez (7-5); L: Darvish (10-6)
90	7/15	vs. Tex	L, 4-0	37-53	W: Harrison (12-4); L: Iwakuma (1-2)
91	7/16	at KC	W, 9-4	38-53	W: Vargas (9-7); L: Sanchez (1-6)
92	7/17	at KC	W, 9-6	39-53	W: Beavan (4-6): L: Verdugo (0-1)
93	7/18	at KC	L, 8-7	39-54	W: Holland (4-2); L: Kinney (0-1)
94	7/19	at KC	W, 6-1	40-54	W: Hernandez (8-5); L: Smith (0-1)
95	7/20	at TB	L, 4-3	40-55	W: McGee (3-2); L: Wilhelmsen (3-2)
96	7/21	at TB	W, 2-1	41-55	W: Vargas (10-7); L: Cobb (4-7)
97	7/22	at TB	W, 2-1	42-55	W: Beavan (2-1); L: Moore (6-7)
98	7/23	vs. NYY	L, 4-1	42-56	W: Kuroda (10-7); L: Millwood (3-8)
99	7/24	vs. NYY	W, 4-2	43-56	W: Hernandez (9-5); L: Garcia (4-4)
100	7/25	vs. NYY	L, 5-2	43-57	W: Phelps (2-3); L: Luetge (1-1)
101	7/26	vs. KC	W, 4-1	44-57	W: Vargas (11-7); L: Mendoza (4-7)
102	7/27	vs. KC	W, 6-1	45-57	W: Beavan (6-6); L: Guthrie (3-11)
103	7/28	vs. KC	W, 4-3	46-57	W: Millwood (4-8); L: Chen (7-9)
104	7/29	vs. KC	W, 7-6	47-57	W: Perez (1-2); L: Mijares (2-2)
105	7/30	vs. Tor	W, 4-1	48-57	W: Iwakuma (2-2); Romero (8-8)
106	7/31	vs. Tor	W, 7-2	49-57	W: Vargas (12-7); L: Laffey (2-2)

August (15-12)

Gm. #	Date	Opp.	W/L	Rec.	Win / Loss
107	8/1	vs. Tor	W, 5-3	50-57	W: Beavan (7-6); L: Villanueva (6-1)
108	8/3	at NYY	L, 6-3	50-58	W: Sabathia (11-3); L: Millwood (4-9)
109	8/4	at NYY	W, 1-0	51-58	W: Hernandez (10-5); L: Kuroda (10-8)
110	8/5	at NYY	L, 6-2	51-59	W: Garcia (5-5); L: Iwakuma (2-3)
111	8/6	at Bal	L, 3-1	51-60	W: Tillman (5-1); L: Vargas (12-8)
112	8/7	at Bal	L, 8-7	51-61	W: O’Day (6-0); L: Kelley (2-3)
113	8/8	at Bal	L, 9-2	51-62	W: Johnson (1-0); L: Millwood (4-10)
114	8/10	at LAA	L, 6-5	51-63	W: Frieri (2-0); L: Kinney (0-2)
114	8/11	at LAA	W, 7-4	52-63	W: Iwakuma (3-3); L: Haren (8-9)
116	8/12	at LAA	W, 4-1	53-63	W: Vargas (13-8); L: Weaver (15-2)
117	8/13	vs. TB	L, 4-1	53-64	W: Cobb (7-8); L: Beavan (7-7)
118	8/14	vs. TB	W, 3-2	54-64	W: Pryor (2-0); L: Rodney (2-2)
119	8/15	vs. TB	W, 1-0	55-64	W: Hernandez (11-5); L: Hellickson (7-8)
120	8/17	vs. Min	W, 5-3	56-64	W: Iwakuma (4-3); L: Blackburn (4-9)
121	8/18	vs. Min	W, 3-2	57-64	W: Wilhelmsen (4-2); L: Robertson (1-1)
122	8/19	vs. Min	W, 5-1	58-64	W: Beavan (8-7); L: Deduno (4-1)
123	8/20	vs. Cle	W, 5-3	59-64	W: Furbush (5-2): L: Smith (7-4)
124	8/21	vs. Cle	W, 5-1	60-64	W: F. Hernandez (12-5); L: R. Hernandez (0-2)
125	8/22	vs. Cle	W, 3-1	61-64	W: Pryor (3-0); L: Pestano (3-1)
126	8/24	at CWS	L, 9-8	61-65	W: Reed (3-1); L: Wilhelmsen (4-3)
127	8/25	at CWS	L, 5-3	61-66	W: Jones (6-0); L: Beavan (8-8)
128	8/26	at CWS	L, 4-3	61-67	W: Jones (7-0); L: Millwood (4-11)
129	8/27	at Min	W, 1-0	62-67	W: Hernandez (13-5); L: Hendriks (0-7)
130	8/28	at Min	W, 5-2	63-67	W: Iwakuma (5-3); L: Diamond (10-6)
131	8/29	at Min	L, 10-0	63-68	W: Deduno (5-2); L: Vargas (13-9)
132	8/30	at Min	W, 5-4	64-68	W: Beavan (9-8); L: Duensing (3-10)
133	8/31	vs. LAA	L, 9-1	64-69	W: Haren (9-10); L: Millwood (4-12)

September (8-11)

Gm. #	Date	Opp.	W/L	Rec.	Win / Loss
134	9/1	vs. LAA	L, 5-2	64-70	W: Santana (8-11); L: Hernandez (13-6)
135	9/2	vs. LAA	W, 2-1	65-70	W: Iwakuma (6-3); L: Weaver (16-4)
136	9/3	vs. Bos	W, 4-1	66-70	W: Vargas (14-9); L: Buchholz (11-5)
137	9/4	vs. Bos	L, 4-3	66-71	W: Lester (9-11); L: Beavan (9-9)
138	9/5	vs. Bos	W, 2-1	67-71	W: Millwood (5-12); L: Cook (3-9)
139	9/7	vs. Oak	L, 6-1	67-72	W: Griffin (5-0); L: Hernandez (13-7)
140	9/8	vs. Oak	L, 6-1	67-73	W: Anderson (4-0); L: Iwakuma (6-4)
141	9/9	vs. Oak	L, 4-2	67-74	W: Milone (12-10); L: Vargas (14-10)
142	9/11	at Tor	W, 4-3	68-74	W: Ramirez (1-2); L: Morrow (8-6)
143	9/12	at Tor	W, 3-2	69-74	W: Millwood (6-12); Romero (8-14)
144	9/13	at Tor	L, 8-3	69-75	W: Alvarez (9-12); L: Hernandez (13-8)
145	9/14	at Tex	L, 9-3	69-76	W: Darvish (15-9); L: Iwakuma (6-5)
146	9/15	at Tex	W, 8-6	70-76	W: Luetge (2-1); L: Scheppers (1-1)
147	9/16	at Tex	L, 2-1	70-77	W: Harrison (17-9); L: Beavan (9-10)
148	9/17	vs. Bal	L, 10-4	70-78	W: Tillman (8-2); L: Noesi (2-12)
149	9/18	vs. Bal	L, 4-2	70-79	W: Hunter (5-8); L: Luetge (2-2)
150	9/19	vs. Bal	L, 3-1	70-80	W: Ayala (5-4); L: Kinney (0-3)
151	9/21	vs. Tex	W, 6-3	71-80	W: Iwakuma (7-5); L: Perez (1-2)
152	9/22	vs. Tex	W, 1-0	72-80	W: Beavan (10-10); L: Harrison (17-10)
153	9/23	vs. Tex	—	—	—
154	9/25	at LAA	—	—	—
155	9/26	at LAA	—	—	—
156	9/27	at LAA	—	—	—
157	9/28	at Oak	—	—	—
158	9/29	at Oak	—	—	—
159	9/30	at Oak	—	—	—

October

Gm. #	Date	Opp.	W/L	Rec.	Win / Loss
160	10/1	vs. LAA	—	—	—
161	10/2	vs. LAA	—	—	—
162	10/3	vs. LAA	—	—	—