A Grip on Sports: The M’s taking a first step in a season of hope is a great way to get the weekend started

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The Mariners’ run to the World Series began yesterday. Or, to be more precise, they won their opening day game with great pitching and a first-inning home run.

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• If that’s going to be the formula this season, we’re good with it. At least the great pitching part.

There is a reason Robbie Ray is the defending Cy Young Award winner in the American League. And it’s not because the Blue Jays scored a ton of runs while he was pitching either.

He dominates the strike zone with his fastball. A fastball that isn’t 100 miles per hour. How novel. Or throwback, if you want the truth. In and out. Up and down. Fastball after fastball. A slider when needed. And the occasional curve ball, one of which accounted for the Twins only run in the 2-1 decision.

The bullpen accounted for the final six outs – it was supposed to be nine, but Ray talked manager Scott Servais into one more inning, in which he was perfect – and the M’s took over first place in the American League West.

Unless they begin to hit better with runners in scoring position, however, they won’t stay there. The fly in the whipped cream yesterday was their inability to get separation from Minnesota, despite lots of chances. It’s easy to chalk it up to opening day jitters and move on but we’re on a mission here.

Make the postseason, end a two-decades long drought. That’s the first step. It won’t take perfection but it will take timely hitting. And pitching. And solid defense. Two out of three in the opener? That’s just fine.

• Our choice to win this year’s Masters wasn’t Tiger Woods. We’re not that sentimental. Or young. It wasn’t Scottie Scheffler either, though the world’s top-ranked player looks like a good bet this morning, as he begins the day 8-under par and five shots ahead of the field. Thankfully, it wasn’t Jordan Spieth either, as he had a triple bogey on 12 and a double on 18 to miss the cut by two strokes.

Nope. Our choice was (and is) Patrick Cantlay.

He may not be No. 1 in the world. He may not be the longest driver or the best putter or any of those things. He just seems to have the right makeup (and game) to win at Augusta.

He’s 1-over entering the weekend. By my math that puts him nine strokes behind the leader. That’s a lot to make up, sure, but Augusta allows that. Especially considering there are only 17 players between Cantlay and Scheffler.

Scheffler can make Cantlay (and everyone else’s) play moot, of course, by just motoring around Augusta National with straight drives, accurate irons and consistent putts. Or today can be Cantlay’s moving day, putting together a 67 or so to get back into contention. We’ll see.

• Minor league baseball, with crowds in the stands, is back in Spokane. A little earlier than has been the case for the past almost 40 years, but back nonetheless.

And the S-R pulled out all the stops covering it.

Dave Nichols covered the game, Garrett Cabeza talked with the fans and Colin Mulvany’s photographs captured the essence of opening night.

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WSU: The baseball team picked up its third conference win at first-place Arizona. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and college football, Jon Wilner has a mailbag in the Mercury News this morning and it includes his thoughts on the Cougars. … Who will win the quarterback spot at Oregon State? … Oregon’s recent tradition of high-end recruiting seems to be continuing. The Ducks grabbed a five-star offensive lineman right out from under Washington. … Utah just needs to decide who the backup is. … Colorado will scrimmage today with the offense in the spotlight. … Arizona State calls its spring game the spring showcase. OK then.

Gonzaga: The Zags continue to dominate WCC baseball, opening a road series at San Francisco with an 11-3 victory. … Around the WCC, Gideon George is leaving BYU for the pro ranks.

EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, Montana held its spring scrimmage off campus, with the defensive line dominating. … Idaho State is focused on offensive line execution.

Indians: Not only does Dave have a game story, he also has a notebook from the 8-6, 10-inning defeat.

Mariners: Ray is on the top of his game, that’s for sure. … The M’s signed shortstop J.P. Crawford to a 5-year contract extension.

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• What are you watching today? If we could, we would be sitting in front of our TV watching the Masters. But we have other commitments, so the DVR is set. If something special happens, we are all in Monday. Until later …