Breaking news: Ichiro has a grass stain, thanks to Yuni

Tonight's game hadn't even started and shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt took out another of his teammates. This time it was Ichiro Suzuki, who performed a four-point face-plant trying to avoid Betancourt as the Mariners sprinted from the dugout before the first inning.

Ichiro had come out of the opening in the rail near the middle of the dugout and Betancourt from the opening at the end toward right field. They ran what would be a perfect crossing pattern in football, coming so close to making contact that Ichiro tried to pull up in order to avoid Betancourt.

If they touched, it was lightly, but it was enough for Ichiro to lose his balance and take a head-first dive into the first-base coach's box. Betancourt, meanwhile, had jogged into the infield before looking back to see Ichiro on the turf.

Nobody was hurt, although Ichiro had a grass stain above his right knee.

If you're keeping score, that makes three teammates who've come in various stages of peril around Betancourt in this homestand. Friday, he had a hard collision with left fielder Endy Chavez, who suffered season-ending ligament damage. Tuesday night, he bumped into Wladimir Balentien as the two converged in a ball that had rolled to a stop in shallow left field.