The Seattle Mariners play 18 games against the National League in 2012. The 2012 Mariners interleague schedule begins on Friday, May 18 when the team travels to play the Colorado Rockies in a three-game series. The next interleague series begins on Friday, June 8 when the Los Angeles Dodgers come to town for three games. Seattle also plays three games each against the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants at Safeco Field before traveling on the road to play three against the Arizona Diamondbacks and three down in San Diego.

The N.L. West is tougher now and with the exception of the games against the Padres, they could all turn into tough contests in 2012.

Full 2012 Seattle Mariners Interleague Schedule

May

Friday, May 18

Seattle at Colorado Rockies, 5:40 p.m. PT

Saturday, May 19

Seattle at Colorado, 1:10 p.m. PT

Sunday, May 20

Seattle at Colorado, 12:10 p.m. PT

June

Friday, June 8

Los Angeles Dodgers at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT

Saturday, June 9

L.A. Dodgers at Seattle, 4:15 p.m. PT

Sunday, June 10

L.A. Dodgers at Seattle, 1:10 p.m. PT

Tuesday, June 12

San Diego Padres at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT

Wednesday, June 13

San Diego at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT

Thursday, June 14

San Diego at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT

Friday, June 15

San Francisco Giants at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT

Saturday, June 16

San Francisco at Seattle, 7:10 p.m. PT

Sunday, June 17

San Francisco at Seattle, 1:10 p.m. PT

Monday, June 18

Seattle at Arizona Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m. PT

Tuesday, June 19

Seattle at Arizona, 6:40 p.m. PT

Wednesday, June 20

Seattle at Arizona, 6:40 p.m. PT

Friday, June 22

Seattle at San Diego, TBD

Saturday, June 23

Seattle at San Diego, TBD

Sunday, June 24

Seattle at San Diego, TBD

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Posted: 1:46 pm PDT October 21, 2011

When the Seattle Mariners came home from their six-game trip through Oakland and Anaheim, Calif., they brought rookie pitcher Steve Delabar with them – and he’d never laid eyes on Safeco Field until then.

“I was amazed at the size of it,” Delabar said Sunday. “This place is enormous.”

Against the Kansas City Royals in a one-run game, Delabar came out of the bullpen Sunday to make his major league debut, and he did it in style – a 1-2-3 ninth inning with two strikeouts.

“I wasn’t nervous until the phone rang in the bullpen and they called my name,” he said.

For those unfamiliar with his story, Delabar was a Class A pitcher with the San Diego Padres until two years ago, when he broke his elbow pitching. Doctors implanted all kinds of hardware in his right arm – he carries an X-ray of it on his cellphone – and wished him luck.

When 2011 began, Delabar hadn’t pitched again, and was a part-time substitute teacher in Kentucky, coaching the boys baseball team after hours, when a friend called a Mariners scout.

The scout set up a one-shot, indoors tryout. Delabar threw to his high school catcher – and hit 94 mph.

Not long after, Delabar was signed and began his career in Class A Clinton, then Class AA Jackson and, last month, Class AAA Tacoma. Successful at each stop, the Mariners kept moving him until he landed with Seattle last week.

“I hadn’t pitched in a week, so I was a little nervous about that. I took a lot of deep breaths out there,” Delabar said.

He threw 13 pitches, 11 of them strikes. That works wherever you pitch.

“Throwing the first pitch for a strike really helped,” he said.

There was irony to his pearance. His parents and wife had taken a flight to Seattle in hopes of seeing him pitch, but they couldn’t stay the whole weekend.

“They all flew home last night,” Delabar said. “There’s always the MLB Network.”

SHORT HOPS

Just in time to welcome the fabled New York Yankees, right fielder Ichiro Suzuki is three hits shy of Mickey Mantle (2,415) on the all-time hits list. … Rookie Michael Pineda is averaging 9.22 strikeouts per nine innings this season, second among American League starting pitchers. Who leads? Former Mariners first-round pick Brandon Morrow (10.41). … Brendan Ryan’s first-inning steal was his 12th of the season in his 15th attempt. … In the four-game series, the Mariners struck out 51 times. … When Seattle was held to one run Sunday, it marked the 39th time this season they had scored one run or none in a game. … Since returning from the disabled list, Justin Smoak is batting .333 in 39 at-bats, with two home runs and six RBI.

ON T

Seattle plays opens a three-game series against the New York Yankees with a 7:10 p.m. game today that will be broadcast on Root Sports and 710-AM. Probable starting pitchers: New York’s Phil Hughes (4-5, 6.41 ERA) vs. Felix Hernandez (14-11, 3.15).

larry.larue@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners/

McClatchy news services |
• Published August 27, 2011

Brent Lillibridge hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth inning, Jake Peavy pitched six strong innings for just his second win since late June and the Chicago White Sox beat the Seattle Mariners, 4-2, on Friday night.

Lillibridge, a Seattle area native and former college star across town at Washington, snped a 2-all tie with his 12th homer deep into the bullpen in left-center field off Seattle starter Charlie Furbush. Lillibridge had struck out in his first two at-bats before taking Furbush (3-6) deep.

Peavy made it stand up, despite giving up seven hits to the Mariners and wiggling out of jams with runners on in nearly every inning. Peavy (6-6) left after the sixth, and three White Sox relievers closed out the victory.

Seattle left runners in scoring position in the first, third and fourth innings against Peavy, but the only damage Seattle’s offense could manage was Miguel Olivo’s solo home run leading off the second and Trayvon Robinson’s bloop single in the fourth.

Kyle Seager scored on Robinson’s single after doubling off the glove of Juan Pierre’s diving attempt to open the inning.

Otherwise, Peavy was strong. He matched his season high with eight strikeouts and retired the final six batters he faced. It was just the fourth start this season where Peavy allowed two earned runs or less.

Matt Thornton took over for Peavy and struck out Ichiro Suzuki and Dustin Ackley in the seventh, but gave up singles to Franklin Gutierrez and Mike Carp. Jesse Crain entered and walked Olivo but got rookie Seager swinging at strike three in the dirt to end the threat.

SMOAK ON THE MEND

It had been two weeks since the ground ball to first jumped up and hit Justin Smoak in the nose, landing the Seattle Mariners first baseman on the disabled list with a break in his nose and just below one eye.

On Friday, someone asked Smoak when he was going to be able to play.

“Sunday,” he said.

And what position?

“Left field,” he deadpanned.

For the first time since that game against Boston, Smoak was cleared to take grounders Friday, and understandably he seemed to sidestep a few rather than hunker down in front.

“He’s going to go full-out for a few days and we’ll see where we are,” manager Eric Wedge said.

6-MAN ROTATION

Wedge made it official: The Mariners will stick with a six-man starting rotation for at least another turn or two through, which was good news for rookie left-handed pitcher Anthony Vasquez.

Vasquez made his big league debut in Cleveland and won his first start. He allowed five earned runs in 5 innings, but the Mariners backed him with 10.

“If we’d scored one or two runs, no one would have been congratulating me,” Vasquez said of his first effort. “I was missing spots – a lot of spots – with my pitches. (Catcher) Josh Bard really helped me through it.”

A finesse pitcher who tops out at 84 mph, Vasquez will make his next start at Safeco Field next week against the Los Angeles Angels.

1,000 GAMES

Want to feel old? The game with the Chicago White Sox on Friday was the 1,000th played by the Mariners in Safeco Field – including four games against Florida in which Seattle was the “visiting” team.

Since opening in July 1999, the Mariners had gone 545-454 in the first 999 games.

In that time, the Mariners had managers Lou Piniella, Bob Melvin, Mike Hargrove, John McLaren, Jim Riggleman, Don Wakamatsu, Daren Brown and Eric Wedge working the home dugout.

SHORT HOPS

The Mariners began the homestand batting .283 as a team in August – nearly 50 points higher than their average in any other month this season. The previous best was in ril, when they hit .235. … Over his past 17 games, center fielder Franklin Gutierrez has raised his season average from .194 to .222.

ON T

Seattle hosts Chicago in a 7:10 p.m. game that will be televised on Root Sports. Probable starting pitchers: Chicago’s John Danks (5-9, 3.88 ERA) vs. Michael Pineda (9-7, 3.73).

larry.larue@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners

SEATTLE () — Brent Lillibridge now has a Safeco Field memory that goes well beyond the 20 or so Seattle Mariners games he’d attend every summer as a kid.

A game-winning homer trumps nearly everything else.

“You grow up watching games here, 20 games a year, every year as a fan of the Mariners and I’m able to hit one here out of the park against your favorite team, it’s something special,” Lillibridge said. “I won’t forget it.”

The White Sox do-everything utility man hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth inning, Jake Peavy pitched six strong innings for just his second win since late June and the Chicago White Sox beat Seattle 4-2 on Friday night.

Lillibridge, a Seattle area native and former college star across town at Washington, snped a 2-all tie with his 12th homer deep into the bullpen in left-center field off Seattle starter Charlie Furbush. Lillibridge had struck out in his first two at-bats before taking Furbush (3-6) deep.

“It didn’t start off too good for me. I was just trying to get on base and he left the ball right over the middle,” Lillibridge said. “I feel like it was one of the only pitches I got to hit today and I was able to hit it hard.”

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has used Lillibridge nearly everywhere this season. He’s played all three outfield positions, second base and made his eighth start at first base on Friday night. It’s all come without regularity — Friday night was his first start since last Sunday — but along the way, Lillibridge has proved himself invaluable to the White Sox lineup.

And, as Guillen noted, probably made himself some money in the future. Lillibridge’s homer was his fifth in the past 15 games and came after he got just one at-bat in Chicago’s previous series against the Los Angeles Angels. He homered in his last start Sunday in Texas.

“This kid can help himself to make a few dollars because people now know, or at least we know, he can do a lot of things,” Guillen said. “He can play everything (in the) infield and he can play great outfield, he has unbelievable speed, great speed to run the bases. He put himself in a very nice position from now on.”

Peavy made Lillibridge’s homer stand up despite pitching with base runners on for most of his six innings. Seattle left runners in scoring position in the first, third and fourth innings against Peavy, but the only damage Seattle’s offense could manage was Miguel Olivo’s solo home run leading off the second and Trayvon Robinson’s bloop single in the fourth. Kyle Seager scored on Robinson’s single after doubling off the glove of Juan Pierre’s diving attempt to open the inning.

Otherwise, Peavy was strong. He matched his season high with eight strikeouts and retired the final six batters he faced. It was just the fourth start this season where Peavy allowed two earned runs or less.

“The biggest thing tonight, I was able to make some pitches out of the stretch. I didn’t in the game before that, in Minnesota, I didn’t really throw out of the stretch a whole lot. I just didn’t make very good pitches against Texas out of the stretch, and I hadn’t done that all year,” Peavy said. “Tonight, made some good pitches, obviously had some runners on in a lot of those innings. To make some good pitches out of the stretch when they were threatening almost every inning was gratifying.”

The White Sox bullpen didn’t make it easy for Peavy to even his record. Matt Thornton took over for Peavy and struck out Ichiro Suzuki and Dustin Ackley in the seventh, but gave up singles to Franklin Gutierrez and Mike Carp. Jesse Crain entered and walked Olivo to load the bases but got rookie Kyle Seager swinging at strike three in the dirt to end the threat.

Crain finished off the eighth striking out Wily Mo Pena and Brendan Ryan, and getting a groundout from Robinson. Chris Sale then pitched the ninth for his fifth save in six chances. Guillen went with the matchups using the left-handed Sale to get lefty hitters Ackley and Carp.

Seattle left 11 runners on base.

“We pushed the game offensively but we didn’t finish the offense,” Seattle manager Eric Wedge said.

Notes: The White Sox plan on placing OF Carlos Quentin on the disabled list Saturday with a back injury. The team will bring up Dayan Viciedo from Triple-A Charlotte. … Friday was the 1,000th game played at Safeco Field, including four with Seattle as the visiting team. … Former Seattle Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones threw out the first pitch. … Seattle rookie RHP Michael Pineda (9-7) gets his fourth chance at win No. 10 on Saturday. Since picking up his ninth win on July 30, Pineda’s had three straight no decisions. … Chicago LHP John Danks (5-9) looks to continue his impressive comeback on Saturday. After starting the season 0-8, Danks is 5-1 with a 2.32 ERA in his last 10 starts. He had a no decision in his last start at Texas.

SEATTLE – No matter how well they pitch, there is always an awareness among the Seattle Mariners that their margin for error is slim.

It has been that way for years, and it was made obvious again Saturday when Doug Fister had one tough inning, Tampa Bay starter Jeremy Hellickson had none and that was the difference in the Rays’ 3-2 victory over the Mariners.

It was a beautiful, sun-filled day at Safeco Field for 28,843 and no one had a better time than Hellickson, who came in the reigning American League pitcher and rookie of the month – and then two-hit Seattle into the eighth inning.

“Good fastball, really good change-up, great location,” Mariners designated hitter Jack Cust said. “He kept everything down, then would come up and in and have you chasing that pitch.”

Through his first 10 starts, Hellickson had gone 6-3 with a 2.80 earned-run average. When he showered and left Safeco Field, he was 7-3 with a 2.64 ERA.

The Mariners couldn’t hit him, so they praised him.

“Hellickson threw a great game,” manager Eric Wedge said. “We never really put anything together against him.”

The closest thing to a rally in the first seven innings came in the second. Cust walked and, two outs later, the entire Rays defense lost track of a shallow pop fly off the bat of Carlos Peguero.

It fell and was ruled a single, putting runners at first and third base with two out. It would be the only time the Mariners would have two men on base at the same time, and it led nowhere when Chone Figgins struck out.

Fister, meanwhile, who was making his 12th start of the season, threw strikes in the first inning – 13 of his 15 pitches were strikes – then lost command in the second inning.

It beat him.

Three Tampa Bay batters walked in that second inning, three more had hits and by the time Fister got out of it he was trailing 3-0.

“Doug struggled one inning early on, but I couldn’t be more impressed with him after that inning,” Wedge said. “He gave us a great effort. He was out of sync one inning, and found himself after that and gave us the chance to win the game. Doug pitched.”

The problem? Three runs looked like 10 the way Hellickson pitched.

The closest the Mariners came to a run in the first seven innings was when Justin Smoak doubled to open the fourth, took third on Cust’s fly ball to center field, then tagged up on Adam Kennedy’s fly ball to right field.

But right fielder Matt Joyce threw Smoak out at the plate.

After seven innings and 112 pitches, Fister left, trailing by that 3-0 score, replaced by David Pauley.

And Hellickson? After seven shutout innings, he got one out in the eighth inning, then allowed a double to fellow rookie Peguero on his 108th pitch. That was enough, and manager Joe Maddon went to his bullpen.

Joel Peralta retired Figgins, but Wedge went to his bench and used Miguel Olivo to pinch-hit for Chris Gimenez. Olivo immediately fell behind on two breaking pitches, 0-2.

“I went up looking for one pitch to hit and was a little fooled on the second one,” Olivo said. “Then he threw me a change-up …”

Olivo hammered it over the left field scoreboard for his sixth home run of the season – and his first pinch-hit home run since he was with the Kansas City Royals on June 30, 2008.

“Miggy hit that one out and we had the chance to tie or win it in the ninth inning,” Wedge said.

The Mariners didn’t. Kyle Farnsworth set down Brendan Ryan, Smoak and Cust in order for his 11th save, and the Mariners’ mini two-game winning streak ended.

Fister blamed himself, not an offense that finished with four hits.

“From the first pitch to the last pitch, you’ve got to locate, and in the second inning I didn’t,” Fister said. “Hitters don’t always have to hit it hard or hit it far. If they hit it in the right spot, it counts.”

The three hits that did the damage in the Rays’ big inning were all bloops, two of them little more than pop flies that fell in front of charging outfielders. Still, they weren’t balls that should have been caught – just soft, perfectly placed hits that pushed home three runs.

The Mariners’ offense couldn’t counter.

Figgins, batting eighth, went 0-for-3 and is 1-for-23 on this homestand, batting .184 for the season. Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-4, hitless for the third consecutive game, and is 5-for-38 on the homestand and batting .261

There are plenty of issues facing the Mariners’ hitters – up and down that lineup.

But when two veterans counted on to spark the team don’t, there’s going to be trouble scoring runs.

larry.larue@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners