by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com (5/18/2013) He wasn't pitching at Safeco Field and so Joe Saunders couldn't have been expected to have a much better performance Saturday in Cleveland.
Saunders, who has been awful on the road and a stud at home for the Mariners this season, avoided taking another road loss against the Indians thanks to back-to-back homers in the top of the ninth.
He gave up four runs on 11 hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings with two strikeouts as his ERA stands at 5.64 for the year.
Saunders (3-4) has gone 3-0 over four starts at Safeco Field with just three runs allowed over 30 2/3 innings. Saunders' next start comes Friday against Texas at home.
Joe Saunders stays sharp at home
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com (5/12/2013) Mariners starter Joe Saunders, who was hit hard in his last outing, bounced back to get his third win of the season Sunday afternoon against the A's.
Saunders (3-4) surrendered a run-scoring double to Luke Montz in the second for his only mistake. The left-hander allowed a run and five hits over 6 1/3 innings in a 6-1 victory. He struck out six and walked three in 104 pitches, 62 for strikes.
All three of Saunders' wins have come at home, and he's 3-0 with a 0.94 ERA in four starts at Safeco Field.
Saunders is scheduled to make his next start Saturday at Cleveland. He is 0-4 with a 12.54 ERA away from home this season.
More road woes for Joe Saunders
by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com (5/5/2013) Mariners starter Joe Saunders has not fared well away from Safeco Park. Unfortunately, he was pitching in Toronto's Rogers Centre Sunday.
Saunders gave up some cheap runs in the first two innings and the Blue Jays didn't really start pounding him until the fifth. He surrendered homers to Melky Cabrera and Mark DeRosa -- a three-run shot -- in the fifth and ultimately left after five frames having allowed seven earned runs.
Giving up nine hits and walking two, Saunders threw 82 pitches Sunday and took the loss to fall to 2-4 on the year with a 6.15 ERA. He was coming off a complete-game win over Baltimore and has gone 2-0 at home with two runs allowed over 22 1/3 innings. On the road, however, Saunders has allowed 26 runs over 18 2/3 for an 0-4 record over four starts.
His next scheduled start does come in Seattle Saturday against Oakland.
Joe Saunders pushed back to Sunday
by Adam Moore | CBSSports.com (5/3/2013) Mariners manager Eric Wedge decided to change up his rotation a bit for the remaining two games of Seattle's series against the Blue Jays.
Hisashi Iwakuma, who was originally scheduled to start Sunday, will now pitch Saturday, while Joe Saunders, who was originally slated to start Saturday, will pitch Sunday.
Saunders, who is 2-3 with a 5.25 ERA over six stasrts, tossed a complete game in his last start Monday against the Orioles.
Joe Saunders goes distance to beat O's
by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com (4/30/2013)Joe Saunders pitched for the Orioles in two postseason games last year. On Monday night in Seattle, he went the distance to beat his former team.
Saunders needed 105 pitches to go nine innings as the Mariners' starter moved to 2-3 on the year with the win. He gave up two runs, both coming on a Matt Wieters home run in the fourth, and didn't allow another hit the rest of the way. He gave up four hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
Saunders had allowed 15 earned runs in his previous two outings on the road, both losses, over 9 2/3 innings.
Incredibly, he's given up 19 runs over 13 2/3 road innings this season over three starts. He's made three starts at home and has allowed just two earned runs over 21 1/3 frames.
Clearly, Saunders prefers the comforts of Safeco Field. Unfortunately for him, his next start comes at Toronto on Sunday.
Joe Saunders hammered for eight runs
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com (4/24/2013) Mariners starting pitcher Joe Saunders was hammered by the Astros Wednesday afternoon, surrendering eight earned runs on 11 hits and two walks in five innings, striking out two batters. He fell to 1-3 with the loss and now has a 6.33 ERA in 27 innings.
Saunders will square off against the Orioles at home Monday in his next start.
Joe Saunders hit hard by Rangers
by Adam Moore | CBSSports.com (4/20/2013) Mariners starting pitcher Joe Saunders was roughed up Friday against the Rangers. Saunders allowed a season-high seven runs on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings in the 7-0 defeat.
He allowed six runs in the fifth and was pulled after throwing 95 pitches and finished with three walks, while failing to get a strikeout for the first time this season.
The left-hander's next start is Wednesday at Houston.
Joe Saunders solid, picks up ND
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com (4/14/2013) Mariners starter Joe Saunders enjoyed a quality outing but did not factor into the decision Saturday night against the Rangers.
Saunders, who made his third start of the season, surrendered a run on a double play ball in the sixth inning for his only damage of the night. The left-hander was charged with one unearned run and three hits in seven innings of work in a 3-1 defeat. He also struck out two and walked two in 98 pitches, 59 strikes.
Saunders has a 2.08 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP through three starts. He is scheduled to take the mound again Friday night at Texas. He has allowed four runs on seven hits in four innings of work away from Safeco Field this season.
Joe Saunders wins in Safeco debut
by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com (4/9/2013) Mariners starter Joe Saunders opened Safeco Field for the 2013 season Monday night against Houston. Saunders was much better than he was in his season debut.
The veteran threw 6 1/3 shutout innings to earn the win and even his record at 1-1. He allowed six hits and walked one with five strikeouts. Saunders, who threw 91 pitches, lowered his ERA to 3.48 after giving up four runs over four innings in a loss at Oakland in his first start.
His next start is Saturday against Texas.
Joe Saunders first out at new Safeco Field
by Ed Gauna | CBSSports.com (4/7/2013) Mariners pitcher Joe Saunders will make the first start at Safeco Field Monday against the Astros since the fences were moved in during the offseason.
The fences came in between four to 17 feet in left field and four feet in right-center.
Saunders told MLB.com on Sunday that he is not worried about the dimensions of his home park.
"I try not to pay attention to that stuff, honestly. Fences are fences, bases are bases, mounds are mounds," Saunders said. "I'm pointed the other way and the fences are behind me, so let's keep that in the rear view."
The left-hander allowed four runs over four innings while taking the loss in his season debut. He is also scheduled to face the Rangers during Week 2 (April 8-14).
Joe Saunders allows four runs in loss
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com (4/4/2013) Mariners starting pitcher Joe Saunders lasted just four innings in his season debut against the A's Wednesday, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out three and throwing 88 pitches.
He ended spring training with a couple of ugly starts, allowing 13 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings, and the struggles seem to have carried over to April.
Saunders is lined up to face the Astros and Rangers at home next week.
Joe Saunders rocked again Sunday
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com (3/24/2013) Seattle pitcher Joe Saunders got roughed up again in Sunday's contest against the Diamondbacks.
Saunders, who made his third Cactus League start, allowed a solo home run to Franklin Gutierrez in the first and imploded in the third as he allowed five runs. He yielded eight runs on seven hits in five innings of work in an 8-4 defeat. He also struck out two and walked four. His ERA rose from 9.45 to 11.57 this spring.
"I feel like I am right on track," Saunders said. "I felt like I was a little tired today, but my arm feels good. It is just that I am going through that point in this nice, long, five-month spring training. Just trying to get it over with and done."
Joe Saunders throws in intrasquad game
by Ed Gauna | CBSSports.com (3/19/2013) Mariners pitcher Joe Saunders got some work in a minor-league intrasquad game on Tuesday. The left-hander gave up two runs over six innings. Saunders also struck out eight and walked two.
Saunders has allowed nine runs (seven earned) in 6 2/3 innings through three outings in the Cactus League.
Joe Saunders fighting through foot blister
by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com (3/14/2013) Mariners starting pitcher Joe Saunders was not in top form Thursday against the Reds, and he revealed after the game that he has a physical reason for his struggles. Saunders gave up seven runs -- five earned -- in 3 2/3 innings of work Thursday in a Cactus League game, and told the Seattle Times after the game that he is dealing with a blister on his left foot. Saunders said that he is not concerned about the ailment or his results so far in spring -- he has a 9.45 ERA in three outings -- and is just looking to get his arm strength up for the start of the regular season. Saunders is coming off a 4.07 ERA in 28 starts between Arizona and Baltimore last season.
Saunders scoreless for M's
(3/3/2013) Mariners pitcher Joe Saunders surrendered two runs in his spring debut but was much sharper in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Rangers. He gave up just one hit over two scoreless innings in the 7-6 win. The left-hander also walked one while throwing 29 pitches, 16 for strikes. ''I don't put much into spring training results,'' said Saunders. ''I learned a long time ago it's about staying healthy in spring training. As long as my arm feels good and I'm healthy, that's what I'm looking for.''
Saunders doubled up in debut
by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com (2/26/2013) Seattle starter Joe Saunders made his first appearance wearing a Mariners uniform in Cactus League action Tuesday against the Brewers. Saunders worked behind starter Hisashi Iwakuma and got one inning of work. It was not a solid inning as he gave up two earned runs on three base hits and was knocked around. Saunders gave up three doubles in the second inning, though MLB.com reports there was a couple bloopers mixed in.
Report: Mariners land Saunders
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com (2/7/2013) FOXSports.com reports that the Mariners are in agreement with starting pitcher Joe Saunders on a one-year contract, pending a physical. Saunders split last season between the Diamondbacks and Orioles, going 9-13 with a 4.07 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Saunders also went 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in two playoff starts with the Orioles.
Saunders has suitors
by Scott White | Senior Fantasy Writer (1/23/2013) According to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman, the Orioles and Mariners are two of the teams interested in signing free agent starting pitcher Joe Saunders. Saunders split last season between the Diamondbacks and Orioles, going 9-13 with a 4.07 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.
Mets interested in Saunders
(12/24/2012)Newsday reported Monday that the Mets have discussed pitcher Joe Saunders as an option to fill out the rotation. Saunders went 9-13 with a 4.07 ERA in 28 starts between the Diamondbacks and Orioles last season.
