Mariners beat Rangers 11-10 on Oscar Night

Best Sound: Nathaniel Lowe

Luis Castillo started the game strong, striking out Bubba Thompson. But after Josh H. Smith (the H. is apparently mandatory) fought one off that got into center field, Nathaniel Lowe hit a 2-run homer on a dull-for-Castillo changeup. The sound off the bat was tremendous. I do not like this development where Nathaniel Lowe has become a problem for the AL West. Castillo would regain command of the game after that, with a strikeout on a 95-mph fastball that tied up Adolis Garcia.

Best Animated Short Film: Luis Castillo

Castillo opened the third frame with a strikeout of Bubba Thompson that took literally 23 seconds. Short film indeed. A batter later, Castillo got his revenge on Lowe with his third strikeout of the game. Kate reports that on his way back to the dugout, a fan did the La Piedra gesture at Castillo, who did it back to him. Animated indeed.

Best Score: Cooper Hummel

With runners in scoring position in the bottom of the third, Cooper Hummel hit one all the way to the wall in left field to get the score to 2-1. I don’t have an exit velocity on it, but the contact was impressive. And even though Hummel tripped getting out of the box, his sixth hit of the spring sent the Coop Troop into a frenzy. Plenty of runs crossed the plate today, but this was the score of the game in my book, which, along with a four-pitch walk in the fifth, helped further Hummel’s case for breaking camp with the big league squad and gets him this Spring’s first Sun Hat Award for individual contribution to a game.

Best Supporting Actor: Evan White

Although Luis Castillo left the game in reasonable shape, with a final line of 3.1 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 4 K, 1 BB, the first set of relievers really let things get away from them. First Chris Clarke gave up an inherited runner and two more for good measure, unable to land his breaking ball. JB Bukauskas came in next, and although I’m optimistic about his somewhat smoother mechanics, he also got lit up for two runs. With things spiraling, Evan White corraled a wayward throw from Mason McCoy to finally end the fifth inning with the score at 7-2.

Best International Feature Film: Harry Ford

We interrupt this recap of the Mariners’ Spring Training game to bring you an update from Canada’s thrashing of Great Britain. The game got so bad that it ended on invocation of the WBC’s mercy rule when the Moose/Geese/Beavers were up by ten runs after seven innings. However, Great Britain did get this:

Best Costume Design: Jake Scheiner

The Mariners went to the bottom of the sixth down 8-2 when the non-roster invitees put on a clinic against Glenn Otto and Chase Lee. Jake Scheiner got it started with a two-run bomb to left, demonstrating why he’s graduated this spring to a jersey with his name on the back. Last year, when he hit a walk-off homer against the Brewers, he did so in a nameplateless number 90. Good for Jake.

Three doubles in a row from Kaden Polcovich, Zach DeLoach, and Brian O’Keefe got the score to 8-6. And then a little small ball led by Aurtro Guerrero getting a hit in his first Spring Training appearance tied the game at 8.

Best Original Screenplay: Brian O’Keefe

Writing a plot twist no viewer saw coming, O’Keefe hit a three-run jack in the seventh to take the lead for Seattle for the first time this afternoon at 11-8. It also brought his RBI total on the day to 5, continuing this spring’s theme of total catcher domination for the M’s. These two extra-base hits might have gotten O’Keefe the Sun Hat Award if I hadn’t mostly stopped paying attention by this point. If not for the pitch clock, this game might still be going; no matter when you’re reading this.

Best Editing: Brennan Bernardino

But Bernardino did his best to get the game wrapped up efficiently. Despite allowing a ninth-inning homer that brought the Rangers back to within one, he moved quickly through his 2.1 innings. He also struck out six in the process, building an argument for himself as a lefty in a bullpen that currently looks to be excelent, but only all right. After the homer, Devin Sweet and the defense slopped it up but finally ended the longest game of the spring so far.