Mariners Hall of Famers to Be Involved in Ceremonial First Pitch on Friday vs. Astros
Friday night's game between the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros will go a long way toward deciding the future of the American League West this season. The M's enter play with a 1.0 game lead on the Astros in the American League West and are trying to win the division for the first time since the 2001 season.
However, the game will also represent a link to the past, as the M's will bring back team Hall of Famers Jamie Moyer and Dan Wilson for the ceremonial first pitch.
The team put on in a release on Thursday that Moyer will throw the first pitch to Wilson in honor of the first battery in the history of T-Mobile Park, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary season. The M's played part of the 1999 season at the Kingdome and then moved into T-Mobile Park (then Safeco Field) on July 15 of that year.
The first game was 3-2 loss against the San Diego Padres in which Moyer went 8.0 innings and allowed just one run. He struck out nine but the bullpen couldn't hold it as Jose Mesa surrendered two earned runs in the ninth.
Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez each had a hit in that loss while David Bell had three. Wilson was 1-for-3 himself.
All in all, Wilson played 14 years in the big leagues, including 12 with the Mariners. A lifetime .262 hitter, he had 88 homers lifetime and was an All-Star in 1996.
Moyer spent 25 years in the big leagues including parts of 11 with the Mariners. He helped the M's win a record-breaking 116 games during the 2021 season. He won 145 games with the Mariners.
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