Meche Hit Hard by M's

Game Date: May 25, 2007
Mariners 10, Royals 2 / Box Score
WP: Meche (3-3), LP: Hernandez (3-2)
Royal Home Runs: None
Royals Record: 19-30

Two blowouts in a row after a successful road trip. That's not good. And neither is the fact that Gil Meche strained a muscle in his lower back and he kept trying to pitch through it. He said that he felt something in the second inning, but apparently it's an injury that he's had before, so he thought he could "battle through it." As a result, he left a lot of pitches up in the zone and he got hammered for seven earned runs in 4.1 innings.

We were never really in this game. Ichiro hit the second pitch of the game for a home run and the Mariners never looked back. It didn't hurt the Mariners cause to have Felix Hernandez on the mound. He didn't pitch his best game, but he didn't need to. The Mariners were up 7-0 after the fifth inning.

Let's hope that Meche's injury isn't serious. After the game he told reporters, "I'll be fine in two days, for my bullpen." 

Tonight, Brian Bannister (0-2, 4.39) goes up against Cha Seung Baek (1-2, 5.50). Bannister is 0-1 against the Mariners in his career with a 4.05 ERA. Baek is 1-0 against the Royals with a 1.08 ERA.