Opponent: Baltimore Orioles
When: 7:05 p.m.
Where: Safeco Field
TV: Fox Sports Net
Radio: KOMO (1000 AM)
Pitchers: Seattle left-hander Jamie Moyer (8-3, 4.64 earned run average) vs. left-hander Bruce Chen (7-5, 3.87).
Madritsch improved
Injured pitcher Bobby Madritsch was elated at some of the best news he’s heard all year, and no, it wasn’t because he saved money on his car insurance.
A magnetic resonance imaging exam on his injured left shoulder showed that the rotator cuff has healed, and he hopes to pitch again before the season ends.
“It’s the best news I’ve had since the end of spring training, when I was told that I had made the team,” Madritsch said. “My shoulder is 100 percent healthy again and now I can start working my way back.
“I can do anything in moderation except throw a ball. The main thing now is to build up my arm strength.”
Manager Mike Hargrove would like to see Madritsch pitch again this year if he’s healthy.
“I don’t think it’s the end-all, be-all, but I think it would be something nice, to know you can be able to count on him for next year,” Hargrove said. “Bobby has been working awfully hard and has been very disciplined. He hasn’t strayed from the program. Young people have a tendency to do too much and go outside the program, and it ends up doing more harm than good.”
Soriano update: Pitcher Rafael Soriano’s return for a medical exam this week was described by the Mariners as routine, although Hargrove said Friday that the right-hander has a tender right shoulder.
“Calling it a strain would be going too far, but it was shoulder discomfort,” Hargrove said.
Soriano, who had “Tommy John” elbow surgery last August, has pitched in seven minor league rehab games. Hargrove said the team hasn’t decided when, or where, Soriano will pitch again as he builds arm strength for a possible return to the Mariners this season.
“I don’t know when, but he does need to throw more,” Hargrove said. “It’s a relatively minor thing and we wanted to make sure it was what we thought it was.”
King of pain: Jeremy Reed wore the mark of a 98 mph fastball on the back of his right arm Friday, one day after he was hit by a pitch from Orioles fireballer Daniel Cabrera.
How bad did that one hurt?
“Not bad,” Reed said, pulling up his right sleeve to show the imprint of the ball’s seams. “You’ve got a lot of adrenaline going, and it hit on the fleshy part of the arm. It all depends on where you get hit.”
Of note: When Melvin Mora homered off Joel Pineiro in the first inning Friday, it was the 29th time this season M’s pitchers have allowed at least one run in the first inning. … Relief pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who hadn’t pitched since July 1 because of a minor back injury, was given the OK for duty Friday, Hargrove said. … Chris Snelling started only his second game since being called up from Class AAA Tacoma on July 3. … Entering Friday’s game, Ichiro Suzuki’s .348 batting average in July was the best in the major leagues for the month. … Friday was catcher Miguel Olivo’s 27th birthday. … The Mariners, who face left-hander Bruce Chen tonight, are 12-14 against left-handed starters after starting the season 1-10.
Kirby Arnold, Herald writer
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