NEXT SERIES
Opponent: Boston Red Sox
When: 7:05 p.m. Monday, 1:35 p.m. Tuesday.
Where: Safeco Field
TV: Fox Sports Net today, no TV Tuesday.
Radio: KOMO (1000 AM) both games.
Pitchers: Today – Seattle left-hander Ron Villone (3-2, 3.31 earned run average) vs. right-hander Bronson Arroyo (3-7, 4.09). Tuesday – Right-hander Joel Pineiro 5-10, 4.47) vs. right-hander Derek Lowe (7-9, 5.67).
Ker-plunk, ker-plunk, ker-plunk
Three more batters were hit by pitches Sunday, bringing the total to nine in the four-game series.
After Jamie Moyer hit Jody Gerut in the sixth inning, plate umpire Marty Foster warned both managers that the next one would result in ejections.
That upset M’s manager Bob Melvin, who didn’t understand why there wasn’t a warning after Indians starter Scott Elarton threw a pitch behind Bucky Jacobsen in the third inning.
“They throw behind him and there’s no warning, and then Jamie’s going to hit Gerut (intentionally with a two-run lead)?” Melvin wondered. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”
Indians manager Eric Wedge was just as bewildered, then irate after Rick White hit Jacobsen with a two-ball, one-strike pitch with two outs in the seventh. That drew an automatic ejection of White and Wedge.
“The intent is what it’s all about when you have a warning like that,” Melvin said. “I certainly think there was some intent with Bucky. They were trying to get him earlier, too.”
On Friday, Julio Mateo gave up three home runs in the ninth inning, then hit Lou Merloni with a pitch that caused both benches to empty.
Spot start: Left-hander Ron Villone has pitched just one inning of relief in the last 11 days, but when he gets the ball today for his second start of the season, manager Bob Melvin looks for a long outing.
“We can get him up to 90 pitches, I’m sure,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It just depends on how many innings we see in those 90-some pitches.”
Villone pitched an inning Friday night, his only outing since he threw 21/3 innings July 8 at Toronto.
Now running: Inquiring minds were considerably confused in the ninth inning Saturday when Melvin sent Scott Spiezio into the game as a pinch runner after Jacobsen’s two-out single.
Spiezio, who has average speed, took his place at first base while Hiram Bocachica, a sprinter, remained on the bench.
Melvin’s reasoning?
“Bocachica was my last position player besides (catcher) Dan Wilson,” Melvin said. “And if I’m not going to try and steal the base right there, then that’s why we used Spiezio.”
Speed pitch: Kasey Kahne, the Enumclaw driver who has been a star on the NASCAR Nextel Cup stock car circuit, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Sunday’s game. Mariners pitcher Ryan Franklin, whose family once owned a small race track near Fort Smith, Ark., caught Kahne’s throw.
Kirby Arnold, Herald Writer
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