Chief
05-01-2008, 06:15 AM
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/361331_mari01.html
By DAVID ANDRIESEN
P-I REPORTER
CLEVELAND -- OK, so there was only one Mariners highlight in an 8-3 pasting at the hands of the Indians on Wednesday night at Progressive Field. But it was a really good one.
Wladimir Balentien, called up earlier in the day to be the regular right fielder in an attempt to add some pop to the offense, accounted for all three Mariners runs with a three-run homer off the American League's stingiest pitcher.
It was all the offense the Mariners could muster against Cleveland left-hander Cliff Lee, who came into the game with a 4-0 record and 0.27 ERA, having given up one earned run over four starts.
With one swing, Balentien quadrupled Lee's earned-run count and more than tripled his ERA. After Jose Vidro and Richie Sexson opened the seventh inning with back-to-back singles, Balentien hit an opposite-field drive 357 feet over the right-field wall.
"I can't even explain what I felt when I was running the bases," said Balentien, whose day started with a 6 a.m. flight out of Seattle. "I tried to help my team so much."
It was a drop in what was at that point an 8-0 bucket, and a pessimist could say it's just a reminder that the call-ups of Balentien and Jeff Clement (who singled in his only at-bat after entering the game in the eighth inning) are meaningless unless the rest of the lineup finds some life. But it was an unforgettable moment for Balentien on an otherwise forgettable night.
**SCHNIPP**
Forgettable only if you aren't an Indians Fan...
mrgrn
By DAVID ANDRIESEN
P-I REPORTER
CLEVELAND -- OK, so there was only one Mariners highlight in an 8-3 pasting at the hands of the Indians on Wednesday night at Progressive Field. But it was a really good one.
Wladimir Balentien, called up earlier in the day to be the regular right fielder in an attempt to add some pop to the offense, accounted for all three Mariners runs with a three-run homer off the American League's stingiest pitcher.
It was all the offense the Mariners could muster against Cleveland left-hander Cliff Lee, who came into the game with a 4-0 record and 0.27 ERA, having given up one earned run over four starts.
With one swing, Balentien quadrupled Lee's earned-run count and more than tripled his ERA. After Jose Vidro and Richie Sexson opened the seventh inning with back-to-back singles, Balentien hit an opposite-field drive 357 feet over the right-field wall.
"I can't even explain what I felt when I was running the bases," said Balentien, whose day started with a 6 a.m. flight out of Seattle. "I tried to help my team so much."
It was a drop in what was at that point an 8-0 bucket, and a pessimist could say it's just a reminder that the call-ups of Balentien and Jeff Clement (who singled in his only at-bat after entering the game in the eighth inning) are meaningless unless the rest of the lineup finds some life. But it was an unforgettable moment for Balentien on an otherwise forgettable night.
**SCHNIPP**
Forgettable only if you aren't an Indians Fan...
mrgrn