Seattle and Texas Split the Set

In a matchup of 80s also-rans hoping to catch fire in the KOD league, Seattle and Texas split the difference in a four game matchup.

Game One: Seattle 2, Texas 1

W: Reed (1-0)
L: Jenkins (0-2)
S: Schooler (3)

Fergie Jenkins was a hard-luck loser for the second straight outing, as the Rangers could muster no extra base hits and only one run off Seattle starter Jim Beattie and three Mariners' relievers. Seattle would break a 1-1 tie in the 8th off a Julio Cruz bunt single, a base rap from Bruce Bochte (who is hitting over .500 for a red-hot start to the season) and a sac fly by Alvin Davis. That was enough for reliever Mike Schooler, as he set down the side in the ninth.

Game Two: Texas 5, Seattle 4
W: Medich (1-0)
L: Bannister (0-1)
S: Russell (3)

Seattle's Floyd Bannister gave up five runs in the first two innings but then recorded up zeros the rest of the way and pitched through the 8th.  However, those early inning runs were enough for the Rangers in the tight win. Doc Medich walked a tightwire  and left after six, but relievers Jim Kern and Jeff Russell gave up no hits and only a walk in the next three innings. Ruben Sierra's two early doubles off Bannister plated two runs and led the attack.


Game Three: Seattle 5, Texas 1

W: Moore (1-0)
L: Honeycutt (0-2)

Big leftfielder Bruce Bochte went four-for-four, as it was Seattle's turn to score early and often. All  five of the Mariners' runs came in the first three innings off Rick Honeycutt, who left in the third after giving up nine hits and all five runs. While Danny Darwin and two other relievers held down Mariner bats after that, Seattle's Mike Moore  and reliever Bryan Clark were hurling a combined gem in Seattle's win.

Game Four: Texas 4, Seattle 3
W: Hough (3-0)
L: Langston (1-2)
S: Russell (4)

What promised to be a pitching duel between knuckleballer Charlie Hough and flamethrower Mark Langston settled into an offensive battle. Texas jumped out early on Langston with four runs, three of them on Jim Sundberg's second tater of the young season. But Seattle battled back to move within a run, led by doubles from Spike Owen, Phil Bradley and Mickey Brantley that led to runs. Texas held a 4-2 lead in the ninth, but Owen's run scoring double, a walk to Bochte and a single by Bradley sliced the Texas lead to one and put runners at the corners with two away. But reliever Jeff Russell settled down to strike out Brantley and end the threat. Russell now has four saves on the season.