Seattle, WA
Yankees make some frank admissions after second straight loss to Seattle
NEW YORK – After the Yankees’ second straight loss to the Seattle Mariners, Aaron Boone and Clarke Schmidt made a couple of interesting revelations.
Yes, the Yankees manager regretted his decision to use Clayton Andrews over fellow lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson to start Tuesday night’s eighth inning, with the Yanks down by a run.
Before that, Schmidt felt he tipped his fourth-inning cutter to No. 9 hitter Dylan Moore, who belted two homers and drove in four runs in Seattle’s 6-3 win at Yankee Stadium.
Maybe it wasn’t as shocking as Monday night’s 5-4 Yankee loss, when the Mariners got to closer Clay Holmes – sporting a zero ERA through 20 appearances – with four runs in the ninth.
But it was a little stunning to hear those admissions out loud, after the AL East-leading Yankees (33-17) dropped consecutive games to the AL West-leading Mariners (27-22) before 37,257 disappointed fans.
Clarke Schmidt believes he was tipping pitches
Schmidt was coming off a career-best start at Minnesota, with eight shutout innings and his third straight win.
On Tuesday night, Schmidt lasted just five innings, and was somewhat alarmed at his 100-pitch count.
He’d retired the first seven Mariners he faced – four on strikeouts – before Josh Rojas’ one-out double in the third.
And here’s where things got interesting.
After striking out the side on cutters in the second inning, Schmidt’s full-count cutter to Moore – thrown a bit off the outer edge – was lashed over the left field wall.
Asked about that pitch later, Schmidt suggested he’d tipped the cutter enough that Rojas – leading off second base – could signal it to Moore, who did the rest.
Schmidt wasn’t complaining, he was simply stating what he felt had occurred – and it was 100 percent on him.
This wasn’t a TV camera/trashcan-banging moment; it was real-time, on-field baseball savvy at work, the inside stuff that’s happened for 150 years.
“It’s a credit to (the Mariners) to be able to find it,’’ said Schmidt, adding that it’s “a fairly easy fix,’’ and that Seattle probably picked up on that tendency by watching his previous starts.
Aaron Boone admits he made the wrong pitching decision
Boone’s mea culpa was in choosing the as-yet unused Andrews over Ferguson.
After the elite fastball of starter Bryan Woo limited the Yankees to two hits across six shutout innings, Gleyber Torres belted a three-run homer off Trent Thornton.
Just his third homer of the year, Torres’ seventh-inning drive to left cut Seattle’s lead to 4-3, and Boone summoned Andrews for the eighth.
Andrews’ first pitch was smashed by Luke Raley for a solo homer, and Nick Burdi wound up finishing the eighth before yielding Moore’s second homer in the ninth.
Boone said he “liked the lane’’ of having Andrews face two lefty hitters, but “in hindsight, I probably should have’’ gone with Ferguson in that leveraged spot.
Andrews had arrived from Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Monday, when reliever Ian Hamilton was placed on the 7-day COVID injured list.
Following Tuesday’s game, Andrews was optioned back to make room for Tommy Kahnle, due to be activated Wednesday after missing the season’s first 50 games due to shoulder issues.
Reliever Dennis Santana had given up two runs in the seventh, including a solo shot to Ty France, as the Mariners – with terrific pitching and a less than dynamic lineup – belted four homers Tuesday.
Still, the Yankees managed to get the tying runs up in the eighth in Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, and again in the ninth before bowing out.
And here was more promise earlier Tuesday, with Gerrit Cole on the mound, throwing to live batters – his first such session since developing elbow nerve irritation in March.
Kahnle will give the Yankees a needed swing-and-miss presence in the bullpen, and Hamilton could be activated by early next week.
And by next Tuesday at Anaheim, Boone expects to have DJ LeMahieu in his starting lineup, and playing third base for the first time this regular season.
Seattle, WA
Kraken lose 5th straight game, Jets 6-2 win pushes Seattle further from playoffs
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Kraken dropped their fifth-straight game as the Jets won 6-2 in Winnipeg.
The loss adds to the dwindling Stanley Cup Playoff hopes for a Kraken team that’s made the postseason just once since the team began playing in the 2021-2022 season.
The Kraken’s (32-33-11) 75 points trail the Nashville Predators’ 81 points with just six games remaining.
The Jets, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and Saint Louis Blues are ahead of the Kraken in the standings as teams jockey for Wild Card spots.
Kraken captain Jordan Eberle opened the scoring in the first period to give Seattle a 1-0 lead.
The Jets then scored once in the first period and twice in the second to take a 3-2 advantage into the third.
Goalkeeper Joey Daccord was pulled after allowing two goals on 12 shots.
Forward Jared McCann scored early in the third period to bring the Kraken to within one.
The Jets then scored two unanswered goals and an empty-net goal to seal the 6-2 win.
Up next
The Kraken play at the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.
Seattle, WA
Our highlight list for your West Seattle Monday!
(Photo by James Bratsanos)
Here’s the Monday list of highlights, most (but not all) from our West Seattle Event Calendar:
PUBLIC HEARING ON UPZONING PROPOSAL: As previewed here, the City Council is holding an all-day public hearing, both in-person and online/phone, under way right now – the agenda explains how to participate.
FREE TAX HELP: The deadline’s nearing … If you need assistance, today from 11 am-4 pm, find drop-in help at Alki Masonic Center. (4736 40th SW)
BABY STORY TIME: Noon at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW). Free.
NO CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING MEETING: Regular 2 pm meeting is canceled today because of the aforementioned all-day hearing.
LONG-DISTANCE ADVOCACY: Write postcards to far-away voters with West Seattle Indivisible, 3:30-5:30 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW)
HIGH-SCHOOL SPORTS: In baseball, West Seattle HS vs. Seattle Academy, 3:30 pm at Delridge Playfield (4501 Delridge Way SW); at 4 pm, the Chief Sealth IHS boys’ tennis team plays Rainier Beach at Nino Cantu SW Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle); also at 4 pm at NCSWAC vs. Rainier Beach, West Seattle HS plays softball.
FREE HOMEWORK HELP: Drop-in assistance for K-12 students at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), 4-5:45 pm.
‘BEFORE THE BADGE’: 5:30 pm, community conversation with SPD recruits, online; our calendar listing explains how to participate.
D&D: Long-running weekly D&D at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW). All welcome, first-time players too!
‘LISTENING TO GRIEF’ SUPPORT GROUP: 6:30 pm, weekly group gathering for people experiencing grief – you can participate once, weekly, or occasionally. Fee. Before you go, RSVP/register here. (4034 California SW)
ALKI MEDITATION: Monday night meditation at Alki UCC, doors open at 6:45, meditation at 7. (6115 SW Hinds)
MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA X 3: Three venues for trivia/quiz tonight! Music Quiz at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW), 6:30 and 7:30 pm … 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander) … and 7:30 pm with QuizFix at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW).
POOL TOURNAMENT: If you play pool, you’re invited to enter The Corner Pocket‘s weekly tournament starting at 7 pm. $10 buy-in. (4302 SW Alaska)
FAUNTLEROY MEDITATION: Free weekly Zen sitting/meditation in the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
JAZZ AT THE ALLEY: Monday night music with The Westside Jazz Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
KARAOKE AT TALARICO’S: 9 pm Mondays, karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
Big thanks to everybody who sends info for our calendar; if you have something to add or cancel (or update), please send the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Seattle, WA
WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: 8 views of our feathered neighbors
Thanks for continuing to send West Seattle bird photos! We’ve gathered a few for this gallery. Above, Dan Ciske‘s view of Brant in the sunset; below, Robin Sinner photographed them earlier in the day:
Robin also shared this photo of a Barrow’s Goldeneye:
Leucistic (“caramel”) Crows turn up in West Seattle from time to time – Mark Rhea photographed this one:

Here’s a more conventionally colored one, courtesy of K. Smith:
K. also sent this unidentified bird (do you recognize it?):
And we have more recent views of the baby Anna’s Hummingbirds that recently fledged at West Seattle Nursery (WSB sponsor) – from Suzanne Krom:
And from Jerry Simmons:

Again, huge thanks to everyone who shares photos, from birds to breaking news and beyond – westseattleblog@gmail.com or (when urgent) text 206-293-6302 – thank you!
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