SEATTLE MARINERS (33-29) AT TAMPA BAY RAYS (24-40)JUNE 8, 2014

Mariners 5, Rays 0
WP: Medina (3-1) LP: Balfour (0-2) SV: N/A
First Pitch: 1:40 p.m. Temps: 72-in, 86-out Attendance: 18,158 Time of Game: 3:10
THE LOSS: The Rays struck out 17 times, tying their club record (5th time, last Aug 8, 2010 at TOR).
Were shut out for the eighth time this season, passing Seattle and Houston (7) for most shutouts in the AL.
The Rays have lost 12 of their last 13 games and hold the majors worst record for the 5th straight day.
The Rays fell to a season-high 16 games under .500.
All 5 runs allowed by Grant Balfour came with 2 outs in the 9th inning.
CHRIS ARCHER: Over his last 5 starts is 1-1 with a 0.87 ERA (31-IP, 3-ER)has thrown 6-plus innings in 4 consecutive
starts, after failing to do so in any of his previous 4 starts.
Has thrown 12.1 consecutive scoreless innings at Tropicana Field (6 shutout innings on May 23 vs. BOS).
Has a 2.57 ERA (35-IP, 10-ER) in 6 home starts compared to a 4.14 ERA (41.1-IP, 19-ER) in 7 road starts this year.
Was replaced by Jake McGee after 90 pitches and 6.1 IPthis was the Rays 4th loss this season (4-4) when he goes
6-plus IP, with all 4 losses coming in his last 5 such startsthe Rays were 12-1 when he went that long in 2013.
GRANT BALFOUR: Allowed a career-high-tying 5 R/ER (April 25 at CWS on Jose Abreus walk-off grand slam)is 0-2
with a 6.46 ERA (23.2-IP, 17-ER) this season.
Struck out his frst two batters facedEndy Chavez hit the go-ahead single after he walked the No. 9 hitter.
Has 20 BB this season, T-2nd among AL relieversonly CWS Daniel Webb has issued more (21).
MARINERS: Had 17 SO, a season-high and their most since 21 SO in a 14-inning win on April 17, 2013 vs. DET, most in a
9-inning game since Randy Johnsons 5-hit shutout on Aug 8, 1997 vs. CWS (19).
Recorded their fourth shutout of the season, third in 7 games in June (June 4 at ATL, June 1 vs. DET), passing Wash-
ingtonwhich leads 6-0 in the 3rd inn. of their gamefor most shutouts this calendar month.
All 5 runs scored after Balfour struck out the frst two batters in the 9th.
Had 2 triples in the 9th inning, the frst time they had 2 in an inning since April 21, 2009 vs. TB (4th inning).
This marked the Mariners seventh shutout on the date of June 8the last time was 2012 when Kevin Millwood and
5 relievers combined on a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the Dodgers at Safeco Field.
FELIX HERNANDEZ: Had a career high 15 SO (prev. 13, 3x-last June 28, 2012 vs. BOS).
His 15 SO tied for the most in the majors this season (BOS Jon Lester on May 3 vs. OAK).
Marked the 21st time in Mariners history that a pitcher had at least 15 SO in a game, frst time since Randy Johnson
had 15 on July 11, 1998 vs. SEAof the 21 times in club history, Johnson did it 17 times.
Finished 1 SO shy of the club record for a right-handed pitcher (16, Mike Moore on Aug 19, 1988 (G2) at NYY).
His strikeout of Evan Longoria to end the 3rd with the 1,800th of his careerhas 1,809 career strikeouts and moved
up to No. 97 on MLBs all-time list.
Reached double-digit strikeouts for the third time this season (April 11 vs. OAK, March 31 at LAA)marked the 29th
time in his career, passing Mark Langston for sole possession of second place in club history, trailing Randy Johnson
who had 94 double-digit strikeout games in his Mariners career.
Reached double-digit strikeouts for the third time in 13 career starts against the Rays (12 SO in his perfect game on
Aug 15, 2012 in Seattle and 11 SO on June 2, 2011 in Seattle).
His 15 SO matched the most ever at Tropicana Field (James Shields on Oct 2, 2012 vs. BAL and CWS Chris Sale
on May 28, 2012).
Retired nine of 12 batters faced via strikeout during one stretch in the 2nd5th (9 of 10 outs via strikeout).
Struck out the side in the 3rd, 5th and 7th innings.
Twelve of his 15 SO were swinging and 10 of his 15 SO came on changeups10 of the 12 swinging strikeouts came
on changeups.
ROBINSON CANO: Extended his road hitting streak to 17 games, tied for the 2nd-longest of his career (April 8May 22,
2006) and the tied for the 5th-longest in Mariners historyIchiro Suzuki is the only Mariner with a longer streak (4 times).
ENDY CHAVEZ: Hit an RBI single in the 9th scoring Brad Miller to break the scoreless tieit was the 7th time in his career
hes driven in a go-ahead run in the 9th inning or later, and 6th go-ahead hit in the 9th or laterlast was May 20, 2013 at
CLE, when his solo HR in the 9th broke a 6-6 tie.
MONDAY: RH Erasmo Ramirez (1-4, 6.82) vs. LH David Price (4-5, 4.03)
First pitch: 1:10 p.m. Clubhouse: 10:00 a.m.
Broadcast: No TV / WDAE 620 AM English
POSTGAME QUOTES
JUNE 8 vs. SEATTLE MARINERS
RAYS QUOTES
Rays Manager Joe Maddon
On the 9th inning:
Obviously the hit by Miller was big for them. Grant was throwing the ball well. It really comes down to, more than anything, the pitch selection
and pitch execution, I would say execution more than selection. Like Ive talked about before, any pitch I think is the right pitch to throw in any
count if its executed properly so Im not going to bemoan that. Then after that I think the big play is the walk to Bloomquist. Thats the one that
kind of gives them a little thingyouve got to give them credit there. Theyre really grinding out at-batsthey being the Mariners. A lot of balls
in play, very diffcult on our part just based on their contact.
On the pitchers duel:
I think he was even better than the perfect game stuff. Better today than when he threw the perfect game in Seattle. He was that outstanding.
That changeup was just a fastball until the last moment, then it became a changeup. He was really good. Command was outstanding. Our guy
was also very good. He didnt punch out, he didnt have punch outs but fastball was good, slider was good, overall command was good. We
made a couple plays when it was necessary. That bases loaded, one-out ball back to him was a big moment so that we were able to get the out
at home plate. Thats a game I really felt we were going to pull that out somehow. Its one of those moments. Its called baseball, man. Within
one pitch of a really spectacular game and all of the sudden it becomes less than that. This is how it plays out.
Chris Archer
On his performance tonight:
We fell a little short, but the way we played overall, I think we played an awesome game defensively. They had a great pitcher out there and it
didnt matter what team he was facing today he was going to have a dominant performance.
On the 5th inning play by Matt Joyce:
I think people dont see the work that gets put in from a defensive standpoint and Ive seen him make those catches before. So when the ball
was up and I saw that he was tracking it I knew he was going to catch it. I looked at the replay and he snowconed it which made it that much
more exciting and awesome of a play.
On coming off the mound after 90 pitches:
Jake McGees numbers speak for themselves. I would have liked to fnish that inning, but their hitters dont want to see Jake McGee.
Grant Balfour
On his performance in the ninth inning:
I dont know what it is. Sometimes I feel like this years just been one of those years where sometimes you can get a bit lucky and sometimes
you get unlucky and you got to take it on the chin. I didnt make a good pitch 0-2, threw a breaking ball and he hit it hard. I pitched around
Bloomquist there and I went right after Chavez with a 0-2 pitch and he just kind of stuck the bat out and gets a ground ball single. I felt really
good today, that was the tough part about it. Youre one pitch away from striking out the side and then you go out and give up fve. My heads
right, my minds right and everything feels good. Ive never given up fve runs in an inning in my career before and Ive done it twice this year. I
guess you got to tip your cap to them for a good 0-2 approach.
MARINERS QUOTES
Manager Lloyd McClendon
On Zunino:
One thing I want to say before I forget: You know, we talk about offense all the time. Today my catcher was outstandingprobably saved the
game for us. He did a tremendous job. Sometimes that goes unnoticed but he was pretty darn good back thereAsk the pitcher, hell tell
you. Youve got to have that guy back there [Felix] was confdent that he can make the pitches he needed to make and that Zunino was going to
block it. He was pretty special.
On the pitchers duel:
Archer, that young man is pretty special. Hes got a fastball thats 96, good slider, changeup, mixes pitches. He battles. Pretty darn good ball-
game. Thats what you call a game for the purists, for the people who enjoy the game of baseball.
On going to the bullpen in the 8th:
He was spent. He used everything he had in the seventh inning to get out of that inning. When you have an emotional inning like that, youre
usually going to have a letdown the next inning and I just didnt want that to happen. I had seen enough.
Felix Hernandez
On his outing:
Everything [worked]. I was throwing a lot of strikes, the changeup was unbelievable and slider was real good, too. Obviously I was getting
ahead early, and that was it. Its fun when you have that kind of stuff and throw every pitch and its going to be for a strike. The [bull]pen was
bad. The changeup was up, not even moving. The sinker was OK. In the game it was different.
On having confdence in catcher Mike Zunino:
Were always on the same page today was one of those days everything he put up was a strong pitch. I have a lot of confdence in Mike.
On the mound visit from McClendon and dueling with Archer:
The seventh inning, yeah, I shouldve thrown a changeup to Zobrist. He got a bit ahead, and I was trying to get a strikeout. He told me it looked
like it was a stressful [inning] for you, and thats good enough. Archer was good, too When hes like that, [youve] just got to put zeroes on the
board, too.
James Jones
On the Mariners ninth-inning rally:
[It] defnitely lifted up the team. We needed the runs and to get things going.
On Archers play on the comebacker:
I was hoping he was looking around. He found the ball pretty quick quicker than I thought but he pitched a good game.
On watching Felix Hernandez pitch from center feld:
Defnitely not [boring]. Its just fun to see him do a great job out there and give us a chance to win a ballgame. He has a lot of movement. Its
not like its inconsistent where its moving sometimes. The changeup runs and sometimes it cuts. He just does a good job mixing it up.