MARINERS

Raul Ibanez hit, what, 90-plus home runs last year (it was actually 33)? But, going into Friday's game in Petco Park – a place where hardly anyone hits homers – Ibanez had one (that's 1) this injury-slowed season.

So what does he do? Of course he hits a game-winning dinger in the 11th, getting the M's road trip off to a positive 6-5 start.

It was Ibanez's first home run since April 19, a stretch that last 160 at-bats.

The long ball salvaged what should have been an easy M's win, what with the excellent six innings from Miguel Batista (the seventh? Not so much) and an offense that pounded out 16 hits. But the M's left 13 runners on base, couldn't bunt to save their game and, when Batista lost it in the seventh, George Sherrill was unable to shut the door. So Ibanez had to supply the power.

Now another guy who hasn't had a lot of success lately, pitcher Jeff Weaver (0-6, 14.32 ERA, will try to pitch the equivalent of a home run tonight (7:05; FSN; 920-AM) when he takes the bump against veteran left-hander David Wells (3-3, 4.79).

Today's hot list …

• The comeback was even more impressive considering the Padres' pitching and their recent history of rallies. Of course, every game stories talks about Ibanez home run. Here they are, from the Times, the News Tribune and the P-I. Also, from San Diego, here is the Union-Tribune piece.

• One of the M's draft picks on the second day was former UW quarterback Johnny DuRocher. DuRocher's journey to this point is worth reading about.

• Weaver's outing is pretty important – to him and the M's – but manager Mike Hargrove had little to say. By the way, wasn't Hargrove impressive Friday as he stood up for his third-base coach Carlos Garcia after Garcia was tossed by the rabbit-eared Alfonso Marquez? If Hargrove said 10 words I would be shocked. I want that guy having my back. Yah, right.

• And our question of the day …

• How will Jeff Weaver pitch tonight?

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