M's bust out of funk

It was all mental. The Mariners' anemic early-inning offense and catastrophic starting pitching kept digging huge holes that we couldn't quite climb out of--until yesterday's visit to Texas, a middling effort by Cha Seung Baek and a solid relief performance by Brandon Morrow. (He certainly made a stronger case than Baek for a permanent spot in the rotation.) J.J. Putz finished with his first save, leaving only the Yankees as the AL's only saveless franchise.

In each game the Mariners have scored their first run earlier and earlier--the fifth on Sunday, and the fourth inning yesterday. At the current pace, by Friday they'll put up a run before even walking into the stadium.