Dave Hansen's pinch-hit homer tied the game at four in the seventh inning tonight. Back in '95, it seemed like Doug Strange hit about 30 pinch bombs down the stretch, but in recent years they've been few and far between. In fact, I don't remember for certain the last time a Mariner hit a pinch home run. Does anyone out there know for sure? It's been a while.

During Hansen's at-bat, he went to 0-2 immediately, and I said out loud to myself while scrubbing up some dirty dishes, "Ben Davis could have done THAT." And then Hansen gloriously proved me wrong.

Also, Tim Hudson got away with a FOUR PITCH INNING! in the fifth. Four! Here's how it went, courtesy of ESPN's Game Log:

SEATTLE 5TH

Tim Hudson pitches to Rich Aurilia
Pitch 1: in play
R Aurilia grounded out to third.

Tim Hudson pitches to John Olerud
Pitch 1: strike 1 (looking)
Pitch 2: in play
J Olerud hit by pitch.

Tim Hudson pitches to Ben Davis
Pitch 1: in play
B Davis grounded into double play, shortstop to first, J Olerud out at second.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Oakland 2, Seattle 0

Whose brilliant strategy is this against Hudson? Melvin's? Molitor's? Or are they not even aware it's going on? It's practically giving the game away to a sinkerballer to hack away at the first or second pitch every time like this. Use your heads, fellas. Incidentally, you don't see a lot of low pitch count innings that involve hit batsmen.

This just in: three in the ninth for Oakland. Blech.

It ain't over just yet, though. Ibanez opens the ninth with a single...

2-1 to Aurilia. Dave Niehaus made a point to ensure a double play by mentioning that the team has grounded into five double plays so for in the game, tying the club record. Strike 2 called, 2-2. Dave goes into greater detail, giving the dates of the 5-GIDP performances. Swing and a miss. The jinx failed.

Olerud strikes out, two outs. No team records tonight.

It's all up to Dan Wilson. I think I'll just go now.