Go Ahead - Try Not To Smile ...
Ken Griffey Jr. is one of those people who makes your cheeks hurt - you can't help but smile when he's talking, laughing and having fun.
Before the game tonight, he was hugging half of the Seattle traveling crew, from players to broadcasters, from coaches to writers.
Back in a pennant race with the White Sox, he's playing some center field, doing some DHing. Tonight, he's on the bench against left-hander Jarrod Washburn.
The sense of joy he gets from baseball - and the joy he spreads being part of it - is infectious.
Now, Buehrle vs. Washburn ...

Advantage: Washburn ...
No, he hasn't taken the mound yet, but Washburn has an early lead.
Slumping Jose Lopez, in an 0-for-18 slide, singled home two runs with two outs, then stole second and scored on Wladimir Balentien's double.
Buehrle has thrown 30 pitches and gotten two outs.
Mariners 3, White Sox 0 ...

It's The Little Things ...
Jeff Clement doubles. Yuniesky Betancourt bunts him to third - no, that's not a typo. And then, with one out and a man on third, the Mariners waste the opportunity.
Ichiro and Miguel Cairo each strike out, and that runner on third is left there.
Mariners 3, White Sox 0 ...

It's The Little Things, Part II ...
Jermaine Dye doubles. Jim Thome gets him to third base and Paul Konerko's infield single scores him.
That's how you manufacture runs.
Then Nick Swisher hammers a home run and it's a tie game.
Mariners 3, White Sox 3 ...

Getting A Little From A Lot ...
The first three Mariners who came to the plate in the fifth inning singled - Ichiro, Cairo and Ibanez, who picked up his 84th RBI.
No outs, runners at firest and third and...
And nothing. Beltre struck out. Lopez lined out. Balentien walked to load the bases.
Johjima popped out.
One run likely won't be enough.
Mariners 4, White Sox 3 ...

It Wasn't Enough ...
Waste chances to score and look what happens. Washburn walked the No. 9 hitter and leadoff hitter Orlando Cabrera homers.
White Sox 5, Mariners 4 ...

By A Long Shot ...
The carnage continues, and Washburn gave way to Batista and the White Sox are having their way with the Mariners.
A one-run lead that should have been more is now a five-run deficit.
Advantage: Buehrle.
White Sox 9, Mariners 4 ...

About That Rotation ...
Felix Hernandez starts Tuesday night, and the Sox know all about him.
What their hitters wondered about today was the Wednesday starter - knuckle ball specialist R.A. Dickey.
Even for big-league hitters, there's a fear of the unknown, and Dickey and his pitch are wild cards. No one likes facing a knuckler, a pitch that can make hitters and catchers look foolish.
White Sox 9, Mariners 5 ...