@Yankees 4, Mariners 3: How did Seattle lose this game? They topped New York 10-7 in his, 3-2 in doubles, 1-0 in HRs (a 2-run shot), 2-1 in DPs turned, and 2-1 in hits with RISP.

The M’s did lead after 6 innings, 3-1. King Felix was “ordinarily” sharp, while CC Sabathia‘s outing reflected both his declining fastball and his unstinting work ethic. But the game turned over completely from the top of the 7th through the top of the 8th.

Top of the 7th: Seattle threatened to expand their lead, starting with a 1-out walk by Kendrys Morales that ran CC’s pitch count to 110. Joe Girardi showed typical (if questionable) faith in his workhorse, leaving CC in to face Mike Morse, who singled deep to right, sending Morales to third. Morse is a career .303/.873 hitters against southpaws, and his third hit of the game off CC made him 4 for 7 career with a HR, a double and no Ks. The pitch count itself was no heavy load for Sabathia, but he’d worked in trouble most of the game; the walk to Morales was his 11th baserunner, and it came on 3 straight balls after a 1-2 count. What was the point of extending him? If he gets Morse, would he also have faced Kelly Shoppach, another lefty-killer with good numbers against CC?

So, men on the corners for Shoppach, who’s in the lineup because of the lefty. Against RHPs, he’s a .206 career hitter who whiffs more than a third of the time (38% since 2010). And in comes the righty Shawn Kelley, who had fanned 24 of 62 batters overall, 16 of 34 righties.

Why did Shoppach stay in? The situation cried for contact, but the odds were stacked sky-high against Shoppach doing the job. Managers are reluctant to lift the starting catcher when the SP is going well with a lead, but Felix had already gone to the clubhouse with a twitch in his back. Nobody’s crazy about Jesus Montero behind the plate — yet the M’s are 13-8 in his backstop starts, and 5-13 with Shoppach. Two runs is no bulge, not with three raps left for the Yanks, in their bandbox. And if Montero’s defense is why you’re giving up offense in this spot, then it’s time to shut down the experiment.

Shoppach looked at five pitches and was punched out, and Kelley got the next man to end the threat. Seattle’s available bench included:

• Lefty Endy Chavez, career .268 vs. RHP, 11% SO. Against a RHP with a man on 3rd and less than 2 outs, Chavez has delivered the run in 60 of 95 PAs, with 7 Ks.
• Lefty Dustin Ackley, career .243 vs. RHP, 18% SO. He’s delivered the run in 23 of 36 chances described above.
• Switch-hitter Justin Smoak, batting .272 vs. RHPs this year.

FWIW, Ackley and Smoak both pinch-hit in the 8th, after the M’s fell behind, and then Chavez came in for defense.

Bottom of the 7th: New York got a man to second, with 1 out and a string of lefties due up (4 out of 5). Eric Wedge brought in Charlie Furbush, one of two bullpen southpaws, but Furbush flopped. Robinson Cano struck the big blow, a tying 2-run double. Well, Cano’s a terrific hitter; sometimes he wins that battle. The mistakes were the walks to two lefties. In front of Cano, Brett Gardner watched two balls after a 2-2 count; the last might found zone, but that’s the risk of running deep counts on mediocre hitters in front of the big boys. After Cano’s hit and an IBB to Vernon Wells (his first since 2010), Furbush then walked Curtis Granderson on five pitches, loading the bases to set up the go-ahead sac fly by Lyle Overbay. Granderson had looked plenty rusty in his first game of the year: soft GDP on a 3-1 count, K swinging, tap to the mound. And, of course, he generally struggles with LHPs — .225 career, .218 last year — which is why Furbush was still in there.

Furbush has dominated lefties since 2012 — .165 BA, 1 HR in 114 PAs and 42 SO/11 BB — but this was a tailor-made situation, and a high-profile pratfall. Cano’s double was by far the most negative WPA event he’s allowed by a LHB since 2012, and his overall impact constituted the worst WPA of his career.

Top of the 8th: An instant comeback threat grew from two flat-out gifts: David Robertson walked Ackley on four pitches (just the 6th pass he’s wangled this year), and catcher Austin Romine tried for the lead man on a bunt and missed. Michael Saunders fanned on three pitches, capping a brutal night at the plate, and Smoak pinch-hit, running the count full.

Now watch this clip of the ensuing line-drive DP, and tell me it’s not boneheaded baserunning. Shortstop Jason Nix was playing a shift against Smoak, standing directly behind Ackley. (The replay shows his position.) The ball was lined softly straight at Nix — he literally stood still and caught it. But after taking his secondary lead, Ackley had broken for third on contact, and U-turned far too late to avoid the double-up. I read three game stories from Seattle papers, and none faulted Ackley. David Schoenfield called the play “bad luck,” but he didn’t say if he saw the clip. Am I missing something? Nix didn’t sneak in behind Ackley; that’s where he was set up. How can you take a lead off second without knowing where the SS is? But Ackley didn’t know, or misread the arc, or just brain-cramped. And he took the bat out of Kyle Seager‘s hands.

Of course, Mariano closed it, his 16th in just 18 games (88%). No 30-save man has ever had saves in 82% of his games. Mo hasn’t led the league in saves since 2004. The most saves in a swan song is 43, by Robb Nen (age 32) and Jeff Shaw (34). Mo already owns the only season of “40 at 40.”

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CC fanned 10 in 6.1 IP, but allowed 3 runs on 10 hits. It’s his 35th career game with 10+ Ks, and second of those with 10+ hits. The last 10-K, 10-hit game in the majors was in 2011 — by CC.

Overbay’s sac fly was a second bit of redemption for an early error that cost a run. He plated the first Yankee run on a double with 2 outs in the 6th, which pinballed off the top-wall padding and stayed in play, allowing the runner to score from 1st.

Bad day in the box for Michael Saunders: 0 for 5, with 3 strikeouts: bases loaded, 2 on and 1 on.

Seattle’s 2 hits with RISP both stayed on the infield.

I saw a postgame TV story that mentioned the number of “clean” saves for Mariano this year, implying that it was a high number. I can’t recall if they said “1-2-3” or “3 batters, 3 outs”. But FWIW: (a) Just 5 of Mo’s 16 saves so far were at least 1 inning and no baserunners; that’s 8th by raw numbers. Casey Janssen has 8 out of 10 that way, Sergio Romo 7 of 12, Edward Mujica 6 of 10. (b) Seven of Mo’s saves were 1 inning and 3 batters faced (2 had a hit and a DP). Three others have more such saves and a better percentage: Jim Johnson (9 of 14), Janssen (8 of 10) and Craig Kimbrel (8 of 11). Mo’s great enough; he doesn’t need any puffery. Here’s something he does have over the rest: 6 saves protecting a one-run lead (5 for Mujica and Johnson).

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Tuesday Trifles

In the 1st inning against Barry Zito, Toronto hit 5 RBI singles … matching their total for the year. Or so it seems. OK, they had 24 RBI singles this year before that inning, 16 RBI doubles, 1 RBI triple, and 51 HRs. Jays came in averaging 2.2 runs in their 15 homerless games this year. They hadn’t topped 8 runs in a homerless game since 2011.

R.A. Dickey went past 7 Ks for the first time this year, finishing with 10.

Matt Moore allowed a 3-run HR in the 1st — his first hit with RISP this year (0-28 before, 3 walks, 10 Ks) — then just 1 other hit in his 6 IP. He’d be the first in Tampa history to hold a record of 7-0.

Jim Johnson blew his first save, but Baltimore’s “leading after 7” streak is intact — they didn’t get the lead until the 8th.

Jason Grilli pitched the top of the 9th, tie game, struck out the side on 13 pitches, but didn’t come back for the 10th (no PH). Mark Melancon next, faced 5 batters but just 13 pitches, then he left (no PH). And so Vin Mazzarro (who has also averaged 1 inning per game) threw 2 innings. Pittsburgh won anyway, but you have to wonder … Grilli had a day off, worked 1 day in the last 3, throwing 8 pitches. Melancon, also a day off, worked 1 day in the last 4. I realize you want to have your best guys available when you need them. But this is when you need them. Seems Clint Hurdle is saying, I’d rather use my #3 guy in this concrete high-leverage spot, rather than risk maybe having to use him in a possible high-leverage spot. I’m baffled. Who decided that Melancon is a 1-inning guy? What, because he’s pitching well? Last year, an off year, he had five 2-inning stints, and 14 of at least 4 outs. This year, exactly 1 inning in all 20 outings.

Dillon Gee walked the game’s first batter for the 4th time in 8 starts this year. Then Ike “At Least I’m a Good Fielder” Davis made a throwing error, and next thing you know, 3 runs were in. Glad I’m watching CC vs. Felix…. After Gee allowed 6 runs in 4 IP, Robert Carson came in and walked the first two, later served a 3-run HR to Beltran; another one made 6 HRs in 9 IP, plus 5 walks. The Mets’ bullpen is a fraud, and it’s Sandy Alderson’s fault. There is exactly one quality pitcher in the bunch — really, only one during Alderson’s entire tenure since 2011. Many teams have built competent bullpens on the cheap, but not the Mets.

This is Sandy’s 3rd year in charge. In straight runs per game, his ‘pen ranks next-to-last this year, 11th last year, 13th in 2011. Last year I gave him a bye; a couple of sensible moves just didn’t work out. But you have to come up with some better arms than 37-year-old Scott Atchison (8% K rate), 40-year-old LaTroy Hawkins, 33-year-old Brandon Lyon, and this year’s workhorse, 31-year-old rookie Scott Rice (12 Ks, 12 walks in 18 IP).

In the 2011 and 2012 seasons, the modest level of 1 WAR was achieved by 117 different relievers, a total of 144 times. The only Met was Bobby Parnell (1.4 WAR last year), and he debuted in 2008. Show me one Alderson “hit” in the bullpen. The only other Met with even half a WAR in those 2 years was Francisco Rodriguez in 2011, the year they dumped him on Milwaukee.

One more venting: David Wright is a very good player. I’ve seen no evidence of his team leadership, and that’s fine; leadership is probably overrated. But naming him captain was a joke. A team on its 5th straight losing season, that plays bush-league baseball for weeks at a time, should not have a captain. Unless it’s Cap Anson.

Doug Fister gave up both his runs in one inning, as usual, allowing 3 of his 5 hits in that frame. In 8 starts, he’s 1 scoring frame 7 times, and 2 in the other. It’s his 7th straight start without a HR.

Peeked at Avisail Garcia’s stats as he was announced to pinch-hit, making his season debut for Detroit. He had 15 hits last year, all singles. So I checked his minor-league numbers. One of the lowest doubles rates you could imagine for a guy with some HR power (11 HRs per 600 PAs). Just 72 out of 594 minor-league hits were doubles (1 of 26 this year) — 12.5%. The MLB average is 20%. [Naturally, he homered Wednesday.]

There remains no situation safe for/from John Axford, alas.

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Monday Musings

Yes, Harper has to slow down. But why is there a chain-link fence in the field of play anywhere in the megabillions major leagues? You can’t put a piece of plexiglas over your blinkin’ scoreboard?

Justin Masterson is the first Cleveland pitcher since Sabathia with 2 shutouts in a season. The last with 3 shutouts was Dennis Martinez, 1994.

• Two 1-0 shutouts in a season for Cleveland? Last done in 1989, by Bud Black and Greg Swindell
• From 1991-2002, no Tribesman completed a 1-0 shutout.
• The last Cleveland HR in a 1-0 win came last July from Travis Hafner, benefiting Masterson. The two before that both came from Franklin Gutierrez in June and July, 2007.
• As you might guess, Vidal Nuno is the first player signed from the 48th round of 2009 to reach the majors. (Paco Rodriguez was also drafted there, but didn’t sign, and was drafted in round 2 last year.)
• The last doubleheader where both games were shutouts (like Yanks @Cleveland) was 3 years and 1 day before this, and also had the Yankees in an AL Central park, also losing the first game on 4 hits while allowing 5, also winning the second behind a young pitcher from SoCal. (Yes, I enjoy meaningless coincidences.) Players who participated in both doubleheaders: Brett Gardner, Robinson Cano, Boone Logan, Nick Swisher (Yankees then, Indians now), Brennan Boesch (Tigers, Yankees).
• If you’ve seen the movie Catch Me If You Can: “You know why the Yankees always win, Frank? … it’s ’cause the other teams can’t stop staring at those damn pinstripes.” That’s as good a theory as any why the Yankees are alone in 1st place, now with the league’s best record, while trotting out lineups full of Chris Nelson, Corban Joseph, Chris Stewart, Alberto Gonzalez, Jayson Nix, Austin Romine, etc. My only consolation: The stars, who might start coming back soon, are no lock to outplay the guys they’ll replace.

Travis Wood has opened the year with 8 straight starts of 6+ IP and 3 runs or less — the longest season-opening streak by a Cub since 1916 (at least). The last with 7 was Hippo Vaughn in 1919.

Twins are 14th in AL homers, 13th in slugging, 9th in OPS, but 6th in R/G. Their pitching staff is dead last in SO/9, but first in fewest BB/9.

Adam Dunn has a shot to be the first in over a century to post 3 seasons of BA .205 or less in 400+ PAs. Monte Cross did it in 1906, ’04 and ’01. Dunn’s also on track for the worst combined batting average (.179) for any 3 consecutive years with at least 1,000 total PAs, in the 60′ 6″ era. Catcher Billy Sullivan batted .180 from 1907-09. [Naturally, Dunn homered thrice in the next 2 games.]

Oakland is 15-5 within their division, 5-10 outside.

I remain unmoved by Texas, but we’ll have a better read by the end of this month, after 10 straight games against Oakland and Detroit, 3 in Seattle (where they’re 6-7 from 2012), and 4 with the D-backs. [Texas showed a little something with Tuesday’s win, but am I the only one who thinks Joe Nathan‘s about to blow up? He’s 12 for 12 in saves, but every time I see his line, it looks shaky. He’s let in all 6 inherited runners this year.]

Billy Butler‘s 5-2-5-5 was just the second 5-hit, 5-RBI game in Royals history. Kevin Seitzer had the first, in 1987.

CF Jordan Schafer was born on Sept. 4, 1986. CF Logan Schafer was born on Sept. 8 that year. Both stand 6′ 1″, and bat & throw lefty. (See above note.)

In his 4 losses, A.J. Burnett has a 3.24 ERA, .207 BA and 3.8 SO/BB, but the Pirates scored 3 runs total. He leads the NL at 11.6 SO/9.

Jean Segura is the first with a 3-SB game this year; he’s also the first since 2011 with 3 SB from the #2 spot. Milwaukee stole 6 bases against Pittsburgh’s Michael McKenry, who has thrown out just 1 of 23 this year. Segura leads the majors with 13 SB (in 15 tries), and leads the NL in BA, hits and triples (tied); teammate Carlos Gomez leads the NL in OPS and triples (tied).

Josh Beckett‘s 0-5 start matches the worst by a Dodger SP since 1958, when both Don Newcombe and Don Drysdale lost their first 6 decisions in starts. Both had ERAs in the high 7’s at the time, but finished at 4.67 and 4.17, respectively.

Anibal Sanchez joined teammates Justin Verlander and Doug Fister, along with Clay Buchholz, as the only pitchers with 40+ IP and 1 HR allowed. (All but Fister are over 50 IP.)

Andy Dirks hit his first career slam, and the first since 2008 by a Detroit leadoff man (Edgar Renteria). Both were fill-ins, for Austin Jackson and Curtis Granderson, who of course were traded for each other. The Dirks slam was also the first since last June on an 0-2 pitch.

Detroit is 5-1 when Miguel Cabrera has gone hitless.

The 1998 Diamondbacks started 8-31, finished 65-97 … and won 100 games the next year. The 1987 Padres started 9-30, finished 65-97 … and won 83 the next year. The 1988 Orioles started 6-33, lost 107 — but won 87 the next. The ’94 Padres started 10-29 and finished on a 97-loss pace; 2 years later they won their division. Hang in there, Astros!

The Mets reached unwatchable status earlier than usual; or at least, 4 days in 5. They scored 3 runs in the 2nd inning, on 2 walks, a 2-out liner that Beltran lost in the sun for a 2-run “double”, and a dribbler up the middle that stayed under the shortstop’s glove for a scoring “single.” They got 1 hit the rest of the way.

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Data Dump

What would you do? You lead, 1-0, coming to bat in the home 7th. Your starter’s been dominant — 2 singles, 1 walk, just 86 pitches. He was perfect through 5, had the bases loaded in the 6th but escaped on a modest 20 pitches, then had a 9-pitch 7th. But his spot leads off the inning, and he’s a .100 career hitter with a .120 OBP. Do you pinch-hit, trying to increase the lead? Or let him bat, so he can keep pitching? Davey Johnson went to the bench, but it didn’t work out.

Scott Van Slyke to the rescue! He didn’t show much in last year’s cuppa, beyond one big pinch-hit HR. But he had a Ruth-plus line in AAA this year — .397/.503/.733, leading PCL regulars in all three. And yup, he homered in his first time up for LA today, and added an RBI single.

Houston’s up-to-date ERA is 5.79 [now 5.84]. That would be the worst since the ’99 Rockies (6.01). The last worse ERA by a team playing in fairly normal conditions would be 6.38 by the ’96 Tigers. (Funny, I seem to have deleted that season from my memory … how could there be a year with Trammell but no Whitaker? It just doesn’t compute.) The worst of recent years: 5.37, ’08 Rangers; 5.22, ’12 Rockies; 5.15, ’09 Orioles.

Guess who has the most scoreless starts of 6+ IP this year? (4)

Brandon League, just getting some work in, allowed 3 hits and 2 run. Had he been a setup guy, he’d have been gone as soon as 2 men got aboard to create a phonysave chance. But since he’s a (crappy) closer, he got to stay in, even when it became a realsave chance. League now has 7 Ks and 11 runs allowed in 14.1 IP; don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Before Chris Sale, the last 2 White Sox CGs with 1 hit or less were Humber (2012 PG) and Zach Stewart (2011 one-hitter). Humber was DFA’d today, while Stewart’s been back in AAA since last year.

Billy Pierce is the searchable ChiSox leader with 4 CGs of 1 hit or less, but he never got the no-no.

Flukey: John Buck has taken the extra base on 6 of 9 teammates’ hits, including 3 for 3 scoring from 2nd on a single (with zero outs on bases).

The first hit off Jose Valverde in 6 games cost him a blown save. But when you walk Michael Bourn leading off, with a 1-run lead, you deserve to lose.