Opponent: Los Angeles Angels.
When: 7:05 p.m.
Location: Safeco Field.
TV: FSN (cable)
Radio: KOMO (1000 AM).
Every-day Kenji
The day after skipping his usually day off in a day game following a night game, Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima was back in the lineup for another day game on Sunday.
Johjima played Saturday because backup catcher Jamie Burke was suffering from a sore neck.
Burke said his neck felt better on Sunday, but Johjima stayed in the lineup thanks to the improvements he has been showing at the plate.
Heading into Friday’s game, Johjima had just seven hits in 14 games since the All-Star break, lowering his average from .292 to .269.
After showing his manager progress in batting practice, Johjima has started to show it in games as well, singling in Friday’s game and hitting a two-run home run Saturday.
“Kenji is coming around,” said Mariners manager John McLaren. “You could see it in batting practice the day before. Burke could have played today. He’s still got a little bit of a sore neck, and I like what I see in Kenji. He’s starting to put it together, he’s rested. He had a day game yesterday.”
Burke, who thinks he got the stiff neck from sleeping wrong on the team’s flight back from Texas, said he was feeling better Sunday.
“I was ready to go,” said Burke. “But Joh swung the bat good [Saturday] so they wanted to get Joh back in the lineup.”
Having Johjima in the lineup again paid off, as he doubled to lead off the eighth inning to start Seattle’s winning rally. Jason Ellison, pinch running for Johjima, eventually scored the go-ahead run.
The next step, Johjima said, is a multi-hit game.
“I’ve been struggling for the last month and a half,” he said. “I’m only producing one hit per day, so hopefully I can get two sometime soon.”
Lowe feeling fine: Mark Lowe, who on Saturday made his first pitching appearance since an elbow injury ended his rookie season early last August, said his arm felt fine the day after.
After waiting to make his 2007 debut since rejoining the game Tuesday, Lowe was eager to get back on the mound.
“Everything feels good,” he said. “I sat around for four days hoping to get in the game. When I got called up last year, I got in my first night. It was almost like a second debut for me.”
After two surgeries so early in Lowe’s career, McLaren was happy to see the 24-year-old back on the mound.
“Seeing him every day work and seeing where he’s come from and where he is today, it’s such a feel good story,” said McLaren. “To see what he went through every day and the thoughts he must have had in his mind, ‘Am I ever going to pitch again?’ For him to be out on the mound like that, it was really special.”
McLaren said before the game that Lowe would not pitch Sunday, but Lowe said if called upon he could have pitched.
Suzuki third fastest to 1,500 hits: With his second-inning single, Ichiro Suzuki became the third-fastest player in major league history to record 1,500 hits. Since joining the Mariners in 2001, Suzuki, who was 2-for-5 Sunday, has tallied 1,501 hits in 1,060 games. Al Simmons reached 1,500 hits in 1,040 games, while George Sisler achieved the milestone in 1,048 games.
Suzuki received a standing ovation from the crowd after the feat was announced on the scoreboard, and the ball was taken out of play and put in the Mariners dugout.
“I’m disappointed because people will stop talking about it now,” Suzuki joked through an interpreter. “Maybe I should have stopped at 1,499.”
Turn back the clock: Players and fans had fun with Turn Back the Clock Day, as the team wore replicas of the Mariners 1977 uniforms.
Jose Guillen came onto the field before the game wearing a wig of long curly hair under his hat, but unfortunately elected not to play with it on.
Fans gave a warm welcome to actor Erik Estrada of CHiPs fame, who rode onto the field on a police motorcycle to deliver the first pitch.
McLaren said that the day had a little bit of special meaning for him, even though he never wore the original Mariners uniform. McLaren began his coaching career in Toronto’s farm system in 1977. Like Seattle, the Blue Jays started as an expansion team that year.
Short hops: Major League Baseball had a record-breaking day for attendance Saturday. The 17 games played that day drew 717,478 fans for an average of 42,205 per game. The previous high for a single day was on July 3, 1999. … Adrian Beltre set a new career high for RBI in one month. His four RBI Sunday gave him 30 so far in July. … Jose Guillen matched a career high with eight putouts. … Seattle is now 20-8 against left-handed starters this year.
John Boyle, Herald writer
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