Morning Juice: Mariners sac-fly their way to victory

This and every weekday a.m., let's rise and shine together with the most recent and decent major league happenings. Today's AL roll call starts in the Pacific Northwest, where a plaid Curt Kobain once wailed, "Here we are now, entertain us!" so the Seattle Mariners did, finally figuring out how to score against the Kansas City Royals — by disguising runs as outs. The Mariner Moose Man to our right sez, "Why, the Nirvana!"

Game of the Day: Mariners 11, Royals 6

Warning-track power: Seattle tied a major-league team record with 5 sacrifice flies — and Jose Lopez tied 11 others for the individual record with 3 — and those runs were the difference against KC. Manager John McLaren's reaction to his team tying a record: “My God, I didn’t know that. That’s really cool."

Lopez said, "Yeah, pretty cool. I’ve just been listening to the manager: ‘Get the base hit. Get the long fly ball. Get the RBI.” So all you youngsters out there, pay attention to your manager, say your prayers and eat your vitamins and you'll find yourself in the record book.

Oddbox: Lopez's night gave him this line: 2 AB, 0 R, 1 H, 4 RBI.

Re-calling Mark Langston: M's anointed ace Erik Bedard went on the 15-day DL with left hip inflammation. With the move retroactive to April 9, Bedard is expected to miss one more start because the injury is not serious, McLaren said. (Sure, and the Titanic was built to last. Tuesday's M's starter, Miguel Batista, complained of a dead arm, but McLaren said it was only resting its eyes.)

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Feelin' rundown (Tuesday's other games)

Tigers 5, Twins 4 — The revival continues for Detroit, which scored thrice in the 8th to win its second in a row. If only the town still made Oldsmobiles.

Angels 7, Rangers 4 — Texas folk booed — they booed! — Gary Matthews Jr, who once made the best catch some of us bloggers have ever seen.

Red Sox 5, Indians 3 — The Tribe's troubles in the 9th extend beyond JoeBlow, who's out with a triceps strain. Varitek takes Jensen Lewis/Lewis Jensen deep for the go-ahead/ahead-go homer.

White Sox 4, Athletics 1 — Joe Crede made some unholy defensive plays in this game. Wonder if the Steinbrenners would let him touch the grass at Yankee Stadium.

Blue Jays 11, Orioles 3 — Steve Trachsel (2 1/3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 3 BB) might be about ready for the college lecture circuit.

Yankees 5, Rays 3 — Andy Pettitte improves to 14-3 against Tampa, which isn't his only dandy split; he's 22-6 against the Orioles, 15-6 against the Red Sox, 12-4 against the Royals and 16-9 against the Jays. He's 2-5 against the D-backs, 0-3 against the Giants and, oddly, 2-4 against the Cubs.

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Photo of the Day: Use the hand rail, that's what it's there for

Royals youngsters John Buck (upside down) and Alex Gordon (rightside up) awkwardly re-enact the famous kiss from "Spiderman."

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Fantasy Freaks

John Danks (White Sox) 7 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K, Win

Yuniesky Betancourt (Mariners) 1-3, 3 RBI

Kenji Johjima (Mariners) 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI

Aaron Hill (Blue Jays) 2-3, HR, 3 RBI

Paul Byrd (Indians) 6 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 6 K

Hideki Okajima (Red Sox) IP, 2 K, SV

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Fantasy Flakes

Edwin Jackson (Rays) 5 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, Loss

Paul Konerko (White Sox) 0-3, R, .190 BA

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