Mariners Game #98, 7/22/23: TOR at SEA

Good morning from T-Mobile Park, where there are already throngs of Blue Jays fans milling about at [checks watch] 9:45 AM. Last night, staffer Lou estimated the breakdown of Blue Jays - Mariners fans as 70-30; today I’d say it’s more 90-10, at least from where I’m sitting.

Lineups:

Kevin Gausman and his dastardly splitter are on the mound for the Blue Jays so, as they say in the part of Canada the Blue Jays are actually from, bonne chance, Mariners.

News and notes:

AJ Pollock has been put on the IL with a hamstring strain and Taylor Trammell has been recalled to replace him. Also, Prelander Berroa has been optioned after making his MLB debut last night and Isaiah Campbell has been recalled (he’s eligible to be recalled as he’s replacing Pollock, even though he hasn’t been down the full 10 days). Read more in John’s blurb here.

Today’s game info:

It’s a Saturday day game to appease the Swifties, with a 1:10 start time. Aaron Goldsmith will have the primary call on the TV side on ROOT Sports NW, while Dave Sims will handle primary radio duties on 710 AM Seattle Sports. If you’re coming to the game, gates are opening two hours early to accommodate the Swifties already milling about in SODO, which will likely be the case tomorrow, as well.

Today in Mariners history:

• 1990: Mr. Mariner himself, Alvin Davis, collects his 1,000th career hit.
• 1992: Dave Cochrane sets a new club record by playing seven different positions in a season when he mans second base in the ninth inning of a game against the Tigers.
• 1994: The Mariners resume play on the road four days after the roof tiles fell at the Kingdome. Over their peripatetic final 20 games of the strike-shortened season, they play 20 games in 22 days in eight different cities, for a 10,425-mile road trip, and go 11-9.
• 2000: The first-ever rain delay at Safeco Field takes 54 minutes as the roof won’t close because of a computer problem. Seattle wins 13-5 over the Rangers.
• 2010: In the Most Mariners Game Ever before the next Most Mariners Game Ever, the Mariners come back from a five-run deficit in the ninth inning for the first time in club history to tie the game 6-6 against Boston, and go on to lose 6-8 in 13 innings.
• 2018: Ryon Healy becomes the fifth Mariners player in club history with a pair of three-run home runs in a game in an 8-2 win over the White Sox.