M's win series; back at .500

Big day for the B Team at the ballpark Sunday. The Mariners won this game, 5-1, over the Kansas City Royals at Safeco Field. They won this series, 2-1, to reach .500 after 20 games in this strange season.

And they did so behind guys named Baek and Bloomquist, Betancourt and Beltre, and Burke and a rookie reliever, with a first name of Brandon, who picked up his second win this season.

A coincidence? Most definitely. But after all the snow and rain and canceled games, after the six straight losses, after the strangest April any of them can remember, optimism returned to the Mariners this weekend.

"We're dangerous," Willie Bloomquist said. "You never know what's going to happen."

Even with the B Team. Especially on Sunday. The Mariners' lineup included a starting pitcher, Cha Seung Baek, who was called up from Class AAA after Felix Hernandez went on the disabled list; a backup catcher, Jamie Burke; and a utility infielder, Bloomquist, who lugged a .100 batting average into the game.

Baek took the mound one night after Jeff Weaver's debacle and made a serious case to replace him as the fifth starter in the rotation. Baek carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, located with precision that surprised even his pitching coach and allowed only one run in 6-1/3 innings, matching a career high with six strikeouts.

While manager Mike Hargrove and pitching coach Rafael Chaves decide what to do with Weaver — options include keeping him in the rotation, sending him to the bullpen or cutting him altogether — Baek gives them an intriguing option. He pitched well for the Mariners last fall and appeared headed toward the fifth starter slot — until the Mariners made Weaver the highest paid ($8.3 million) fifth starter in baseball.

By the numbers


10-10

The Mariners finished .500 or better in April for the first time since 2003.

4.22

Cha Seung Baek's ERA

18.26

Jeff Weaver's ERA

Hargrove declined to speculate on how Baek's performance would impact the rotation this week, calling it a legitimate question, but not fair to anybody (meaning Weaver) if he commented. Of Baek, Hargrove said: "He was awfully, awfully good."

Burke said that Baek controlled and threw every pitch for strikes. Burke added that he and Baek communicated in English during mound conferences, quipping that the Korean native "understands me."

"That's exactly what we wanted to see out of him," added Chaves. "We needed him to come out and give us a strong start. Especially after a night [Saturday, because Weaver lasted only 1/3 of an inning] where our bullpen got used a whole lot."

Bloomquist was the B Team's second most valuable member Sunday to Royals catcher John Buck.

Seventh inning, tie score, runners on second and third, two outs, full count. Bloomquist tipped a fastball from Royals starter Brian Bannister.

Buck appeared to catch it, but replays showed he was aided by his chest protector. Buck started walking toward the Royals dugout, hoping the inning was over.

It wasn't. Bloomquist lined the next pitch, another fastball, under a diving David DeJesus in center field, scoring two runs. Ichiro lined another single into left field, scoring Bloomquist. And suddenly, thanks to a second chance, the Mariners led 4-1.

"I was able to get a chance to go look at [the replay] the following inning," Bloomquist said. "[The umpire] did make the right call. He didn't catch it clean. I was fortunate to get a second chance right there."

The rest of the B Team filled in the blanks. Adrian Beltre had two hits and made a dazzling stop at third. Yuniesky Betancourt scored two runs and smacked a double. Burke also doubled and picked up an RBI (he has hits in all five games he has started this season). And Brandon Morrow mowed down five straight hitters — including two strikeouts that had the crowd of 26,019 screaming — to pick up his second win.

Near the end of this weird April, the Mariners have won five of their last six games.

"I had hoped for better," Hargrove said. "If somebody had told us [the weather postonements] was going to happen, would we take that at the end of April? We'd say, 'Yes.' We've been playing good, solid baseball. We haven't had a game where we had everything clicking at the same time. That will come."

Greg Bishop: 206-464-3191 or gbishop@seattletimes.com