Seattle Mariners defeat Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 to clinch series 2-1 – MLB Update
The Seattle Mariners took the three game series 2-1 in an excellent manner by shutting out the Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 in the rubber game, at the Safeco Field on Sunday, June 19.
After losing the second game of the series 5-1, the Mariners struck back in an outstanding manner and completely blanked their rivals. The Mariners’ starter Jason Vargas performed as per the expectations of his manager Eric Wedge.
The 28-year-old pitcher took out six batters without allowing any run over complete nine innings. The right-hand pitcher scattered only three hits on 119 pitches, out of which he threw 84 strikes to earn his fifth win in fifteen starts in 2011.
Vargas was happy to gain confidence of Wedge, who kept him tossing until the ninth inning.
"It's the first time I've had a manager in the ninth leave me in," Vargas said. "It's nice he has that confidence in me."
The Mariners’ bat struggled for the first five innings off Phillies’ starter Cole Hamels. He tossed equally strong pitches and took out six batters without allowing any run until the fifth inning. In the sixth inning though, he allowed a tie shattering RBI
single to the Mariners’ first baseman Justin Smoak. Then in the seventh inning, he allowed another RBI single to pinch-hitter Adam Kennedy.
After allowing this run, he handed over the ball to reliever Jose Contreras, who completed this inning without allowing any further run. Due to these two runs, the National League leading pitcher, Hamels lost his third game of the season and now has 9-3
record with 2.51 after 15 starts in this season.
His closer David Herndon allowed one hit and one walk without allowing any run but the batters remained helpless to take the game back to their side.
The Phillies utilised 30 at-bats but could manage just three hits. Two of these three hits were scored by first baseman Ryan Howard while one was made by right-fielder Ben Francisco. Short-stop Jimmy Rollins, centre-fielder Shane Victorino and second baseman
Chase Utley each entered four times but failed to touch even a single hit.
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