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6/4: Open Game Thread

Rays at Mariners

boom, roasted
boom, roasted
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

Hello everyone. Hope you're having a relaxing Sunday. Kate has already beautifully canonized the moment from last night, but I also feel the need to gush a bit about the first career grand slam by Mike Zunino aka AOHAD aka Franchise Catcher aka Can't Miss Draft Pick aka the Zuni-Bomber. Obviously, we can't make any claims yet that Zunino is totally fixed and a good hitter now. We have 1,365 plate appearances worth of data much to the contrary. But, god dammit, he looks highly competent right now at the plate and I'm gonna ride out this hype train to dinger town until it derails.

Much like the Dae-Ho Lee pinch hit walk off blast against Texas kept me warm in the winter months following the 2016 season, I think I just found my similar moment for 2017. The Mariners Instagram account posted a phenomenal compilation of eight angles of the grand slam and it is truly wonderful and I can't stop watching it. But, in particular, I feel compelled to share this angle of what I can only describe as Kyle Seager celebrating like a proud papa of a son that finally done good. This is baseball and this is love.

Bonus Chooch content. Look at him, the usually dead serious, no-nonsense, sleep deprived dad allowing himself a brief moment of rejoicing before getting back to business. Chooch is also a proud papa. But, Seager here...you can just hear the "aw, shucks" guffaw when he leans back. Such pride. Such joy.

Okay, enough gushing, just like Chooch knows, there's more work to do. Time to get brooms out and send these bizarro Mariners back to wherever they came from. I hope you have a nice outing, Erasmo, because I think you're a good pitcher and a swell guy, but the Mariners are swinging hard and feeling good. Let's get the sweep, you goofy bastards.

Today's Lineups

TAMPA BAY RAYS SEATTLE MARINERS
Steven Souza - RF Ben Gamel - RF
Corey Dickerson - LF Boog Powell - LF
Evan Longoria - DH Robinson Cano - 2B
Tim Beckham - SS Nelson Cruz - DH
Rickie Weeks - 1B Kyle Seager - 3B
Kevin Kiermaier - CF Danny Valencia - 1B
Daniel Robertson - 3B Taylor Motter - SS
Brad Miller - 2B Jarrod Dyson - CF
Jesus Sucre - C Mike Zunino - C
Erasmo Ramirez - RHP Ariel Miranda - LHP

Game Time: 1:10 PM PDT

TV: ROOT Sports NW

Radio: 710 ESPN