WEDNESDAY APRIL 6, 1977
OPENING DAY FOR MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
The Seattle Mariners had a tough start to their season as they fell 7-1 to Tom Seaver and the California Angels in the first game in franchise history. The game, played at the Mariners new domed stadium, was the only one on the American League slate. The 32 year old Seaver, who was 12-12 for the Angels a year ago and is 171-119 in his major league career, scattered 6 hits as he went the distance for the win. Ex-Minnesota Twin Jim Merritt got the start for the Mariners and his undoing was the longball. The 33 year old allowed just 8 hits over 7 innings but four of them were homeruns including a 3-run shot from Richie Zisk. Butch Hobson, Joe Lis and Pedro Garcia also homered for the Angels.
Mariners outfielder Albert Thompson got the first hit in franchise history, when he hit a 1-out single in the bottom of the first inning. The Mariners kept the score close for 6 innings as they trailed 2-0 on Butch Hobson's 2-run shot in the fourth inning. The wheels fell off for Merritt and the M's in the top of the 7th when California belted 3 more round-trippers including Zisk's 3-run blast.
NOTES- Seattle lost outfielder-DH Tony Oliva for 3-4 weeks with shoulder woes after he suffered an injury fielding a ball in the second inning. The 38 year old was making his return to the majors after spending all of last season with the Dodgers AAA farm club in Albuquerque.
NATIONAL LEAGUE RECAP
There was just 1 game in the National League as Cincinnati continued it's tradition of hosting the league opener. It was a rough day for the Reds as the visiting San Diego Padres hammered Cincinnati 8-1. 25 year old outfielder Dave Winfield led the way for the winners with 4 hits including a double and a homerun. Catcher Ernie Whitt added 3 hits and a pair of rbi's while infielder Bump Willis had 2 hits and drove in 3 runs. Bucky Dent and Richie Hebner each led the Cincinnati offense with 2 hits. Tom Bradley struck out 8 and allowed 6 hits in going the distance for the victory while Gaylord Perry, a free agent signing who was 14-11 for the Phillies a year ago, was shelled in his Reds debut - surrendering 4 earned runs and 6 hits in 3 plus innings of work.
AROUND THE MINORS
While most minor league seasons do not begin for a few days the Northwest League started it's season a couple of days ago (I should have reloaded a schedule as I believe it would not have started until June in real life). The big news out of the Northwest loop centered around 15 year old Vic Rodriguez of the Walla Walla Padres. The youngster, who was taken in the fourth round by San Diego in the December draft had 5 hits in a 14-8 win over the Eugene Emeralds yesterday. Included in his barrage was a pair of doubles and 6 rbi's. Despite not turning 16 until July, the youngster is batting .414 (12-29) with a homerun and a league leading 8 rbi's in 6 games.
In real life Rodriguez joined the Orioles organization just after turning 16 years old in 1977 and would eventually reach the major leagues briefly, playing 11 games for the 1984 Orioles and 6 more for the Twins in 1989. He hit .412 in his 11 games with the Orioles (7-17) but was dealt to the Padres organization that off-season. He would last just a year in the Padres system before moving to the Cardinals organization and then finally signing as a minor league free agent with Minnesota in 1988. He got called up to the Twins in 1989 to fill in for an injured Wally Backman, hitting .455 (5-for-11) in his short stay but was sent back to the minors. After his playing career ended Rodriguez was a coach for the Red Sox from 2013 until just recently accepting the same role in Cleveland for next season.