Mariners come through for Michael Pineda

Mariners pitcher Michael Pineda allowed one run in six innings for his second win of the season. (AP)

The Mariners won a game Sunday that early on looked to have the potential to be as frustrating as any game we saw in the last week.

Michael Pineda on the hill pitching well and the Mariners not getting on base early. Sure they were having good at-bats and hitting the ball hard, just right at the Royals, who showed defense that I remember seeing once from the Mariners. But nothing short of a win was going to be enough. Luckily they got it.

The hero of the day was Brendan Ryan, who had the two-run single in the seventh inning that gave the Mariners the win.

“I didn’t want to get two strikes in that situation,” he said of the at-bat. “You want to be aggressive with guys in scoring position. The ball was elevated and I was lucky to get my hands inside of it and finally it didn’t go right at someone.”

I asked if the team was on the same page heading into the game after Eric Wedge had words for the team the night before. He said they were and that everyone expected more from themselves.

“I think I can safely speak for everybody, we’re not having fun right now,” said Ryan. “I’m not having any fun. This is not how I wanted to start the season personally and as a team. I am trying to get going. It may sound funny, but if we all think a little more selfishly in what we are trying to accomplish and execute then maybe we can get things rolling.”

Ryan is looking for more than good play however. He has been frustrated with the lack of good breaks that have gone the Mariners’ way in the early season.

“At the same time we need some love,” he said. “Look at Miggy (Miguel Olivo). He works as hard as anyone and he just can’t find any love out there. Of course to add insult (Alex) Gordon makes a web gem out there in left. I feel bad for the guy but he’s a pro and he’s a vet and he knows how to dig himself out. He’s going to be just fine and we’re going to get better and hopefully things will start falling and going our way because they just haven’t so far and we will give the fans something to be proud of.”

It was good to see Olivo get the hit that broke the 0 for 27 slump he was in. Olivo had his hands full behind the plate. Handling Pineda is a task that he takes seriously. He had a plan for the game.

“We need to change it because the last two starts we throw a lot of fastballs and that is why they jump on the fastball early,” he told me on the field after the game. “We need to use more breaking ball, more off speed. That is why he didn’t go eight or nine innings but he got good stuff today.”

With Pineda on the hill it seemed like Olivo made an enormous amount of trips to the mound. If he gave up a hit or walked a guy or even went 2-0 on a hitter Olivo trotted out to the mound. He explained to me why this was necessary.

“When he throws two balls in a row he starts jumping and he gets too excited and he wants to throw 1,000 miles an hour,” Olivo said. “I just want to go over there and calm him down. I am there to help him out.

“With him I need to be more alert because he is a rookie and when he starts jumping that is when he gets in trouble. There was a little confusion over the signs and a couple of mistakes but he is learning. I am going to help him out and he is going to get better.”

Pineda appears to have a lot of trust in his catcher. He is following his lead in both games and bullpen sessions, where he is working on his change up and throwing inside.

“I am working in the bullpen for a lot of left-handed hitters,” Pineda said at his locker after his second win. “Working on throwing a lot of fastball in and change up away for the left-handed hitters.”

One fastball that got hit today left a big impression on Pineda. Jeff Francoeur led off the fifth inning with a double off of a good fastball. I asked what he was thinking with a runner on second and he told me that was no problem. The eye-opener to him was that Francoeur had hit his fastball.

“Oh the double?” he said, “I think, ‘Oh, wow’ because the first time he no chance with my fastball and the second time? Oh wow. He adjusted from my fastball but it’s OK, though, I’m working, I’m working.”

And the entire team will be working and working early Monday. Despite the fact that they traveled Sunday early work has been scheduled for the entire team. Wedge told us Saturday night after he addressed the team that there would be improvement and we would see what he was doing. I would imagine this is one of the things he was talking about.