Game #1
Pirates Sink Mariners in Game #1 of series.
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SEATTLE -- In their first appearance at Safeco Field, the Pirates made themselves at home. The Mariners, on the other hand, continued their recent tailspin.
Aided by solid hitting, pitching and fielding, the Pirates beat the Mariners, 5-3, Tuesday night in front of 24,520 fans. Not only did the Bucs send Seattle to its sixth straight loss, but they recorded their first win over the Mariners.
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Seattle's sixth straight loss certainly had the club feeling defeated. Manager Mike Hargrove didn't address the media following the loss, and most of the players struggled to find explanations about how to right the ship.
Some seem to think the answer lies in their heads.
"We have to have a short-term memory and turn around tomorrow and come out, compete and not really let this weigh us down," Broussard said. "We've got a good team."
Others seemed at a loss for words.
"We've lost six in a row," said left fielder Raul Ibanez. "Is there positive stuff? Yeah, I'm sure there is, but it's hard to notice right now because we're not winning. So we just have to get it done tomorrow."
Mariners snap a 6 game losing strek and get Weaver his first win of the season.
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Weaver earned his first win of the season and helped the Mariners snap a six-game losing streak with a 7-0 win over the Pirates in front of 23,553 fans at Safeco Field on Wednesday night.
In nine innings, he turned 23,553 skeptics into believers.
Weaver, who allowed just four hits in nine innings, had struggled through much of the season, disappointing many who expected to see the 30-year-old that won Game 5 of the World Series for St. Louis last season.
Felix returns to All-star forum and the Mariners get their second consecutive shutout of Pittsburgh.
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With Felix Hernandez picking up where Jeff Weaver left off, the Mariners made it back-to-back shutouts against the National League team with a 3-0 victory in front of 22,950. It's the first time since June 11-12, 2004, that Seattle pitched consecutive shutouts.
Second baseman Jose Lopez drove in the second and third runs during a three-run fifth inning off Pirates right-hander John Van Benschoten. Ichiro Suzuki, who extended his latest hitting streak to 16 games with a third-inning double, put the Mariners in front with a run-scoring single after he had fouled off six consecutive two-strike pitches.
The three runs would be more than enough for Hernandez.
He worked the first eight innings, holding the Pirates to six hits and striking out nine. Closer J.J. Putz pitched the ninth inning for his 20th save of the season in 20 chances, ending the game on a double play.