Once again, Jake Peavy played the Mariners tough, holding the M's to one run in eight innings ina 2-1 loss. In the process, Peavy lowered his career ERA versus the M's to a microscopic 1.56. However, I was wrong in predicting that runs would be scored in bunches, as Gil Meche limited the Padres to a one-out Mike Cameron home-run in the third. I was correct in saying that Meche would struggle to complete his 5.2 innings, as he threw 108 pitches, 60 for strikes. The lack of economy, pitch-wise, was due to Meche striking out six, keeping pace with Peavy's nine strikeouts.

When the tiring Meche turned the ball over to Emiliano Fruto, the M's bullpen was sterling as they matched Peavy and the Padres' bullpen in an epic struggle, extending a 1-1 game into the tenth inning before losing on a Brain Giles RBI single in the bottom of the tenth. Talk about losing a tough one! That makes it two losses in a row, but for the M's to battle the tough Peavy in such a manner, in the same week that also saw victories over Jason Schmidt and Brad Penny, the Mariners continue to show their competitive chops. Now that they got the Padres' ace out of the way, there's a pretty good chance that the M's could take the next two games and might, just might, wind up this series at .500.

Adrian Beltre went 1-for-4 for the second game in a row. It seems that since he reached .250 for the season three games ago, he seems commited to grinding out a hit every four at bats and maintaining that 25% success rate. His hit, however, was a lead-off double in the fourth inning and AB came around to score a batter later on a Raul Ibanez double. Beltre's double is the sixth extra-base hit in his past six games, in which he's been slugging .800!

Tonight the Mariners face Chan Ho Park, who was roughed up for ten runs in five innings on May 21 at Safeco. That was a very atypical start for Park against the Mariners, as otherwise he enjoys a 3.26 ERA against Seattle. Like Derek Lowe, Park is a pitcher who enjoys geat success versus every Mariner not named Ichiro, who has hit Park to the tune of .393 in 28 at-bats. (Beltre has only managed one hit in nine at-bats.) Park has won his last three decisions, giving up just 8 earned runs in 25 innings over his last four starts. Park is also enjoying a 3.18 ERA at Petco so far this year so, lousy last start versus Seattle or not, the M's have their work cut out for them in tonight's ballgame.

Taking the mound for Seattle tonight is the crafty veteran Jamie Moyer, who's been even more dominating over his last four starts, giving up just six earned runs over his last 28 innings. Moyer didn't face the Padres in the sweep at Safeco last May, and has a career 4.52 ERA, giving up 86 hits in 71 career innings versus the Friars for a career batting average against of .295. However, most of the Padres who have hit Moyer tough in the past are not active, and Jamie has proven to be an old master pitcher, schooling the new, young crop of Padres.

Conclusion? Tonight's game will be very similar to last night's. It will be a tight, very well played ball-game in which the outcome will hinge on a play or two, a missed cut-off man here or a passed ball there. If Ichiro can get on base versus Park as he was unable to do against Lowe two nights ago, and if Moyer can continue to keep these current Padres' bats in check, then the Mariners will have a pretty good chance to win. At the same time, Park is just as liable to throw a two-hit shutout as he is of giving up ten runs, so you never know.

The Padres are playing like division leaders. The Mariners are playing like competitive challengers. Its games like this that the baseball season is all about!