PEORIA, Ariz. — It’s a journalistic tenet to remain objective. To not write in the first person, or insert yourself into the story. Before every game, it’s made clear: There is no cheering in the press box.
But I won’t lie, when Jesus Luzardo served up a sweeping 87-mph slider on the 10th pitch of Donnie Walton’s at-bat in the second inning, I couldn’t help but exclaim a bit. Walton had already fought off four straight pitches, faring better than most of the Mariners lineup, but couldn’t stay alive any longer. He swung and missed and spun back toward the Seattle dugout, the fifth victim of Luzardo’s absolutely nasty stuff in just the first two innings.