You need something stronger to drink than coffee...

...to be a Mariners fan.

Case in point: Felix Hernandez loads the bases on a single by Kevin Youkilis, a broken bat single by Mike Lowell, and a walk to Sean Casey, after being ahead of Casey 0-and-2.

Felix the Cat whiffs Jed Lowrie and Jason Varitek and is an out away from escaping the jam.

So what does he do? He walks Coco Crisp on.....four....pitches. Pathetic, a word that also describes Jacoby Ellsbury's current state of affairs. The rook popped weakly to first baseman Bryan LaHair to end the inning. He's 0-4 today, 2 for 13 for the series. Not what folks drove 5 1/2 hours from his hometown of Madras, Ore., to see.

3-1 Sox, middle of six.