José López (baseball)

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**José López**

Seattle Mariners — No. 4
Second Baseman
Born: November 24, 1983 (1983-11-24) (age 24)
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
July 31, 2004 for the Seattle Mariners
Selected MLB statistics (through 2007)
Batting Average	.260
Home Runs	28
Runs batted in	188
Teams
Seattle Mariners (2004-present)

José Celestino López (born November 24, 1983 in Anzoátegui State, Venezuela) is a second baseman who plays for the Seattle Mariners.

López made his major league debut on July 31, 2004. He hit .232 with five home runs and 22 RBI in 57 games. He is considered one of the best fielders at his position. Jose Lopez is part of a dynamic combination up the middle along with fellow teammate Yuniesky Betancourt who plays shortstop.

López was selected as a replacement for the 2006 All-Star Game due to an injury to Robinson Canó. During this game, Lopez pinch-ran for Paul Konerko in the 9th inning and went on to score the game-tying run.

Before the team's game on June 13, 2007, López was informed that his brother Gabriel had died in a motorcycle accident in Venezuela. Lopez still played in the game because his family told him he wouldn't be able to make it home in time for the funeral and they wanted him to stay with the team and keep playing. He went 0-for-4 with an RBI in the game.

On May 27, 2008, Lopez helped end a seven-game Mariner losing skid with a walk-off single off Boston reliever Mike Timlin to score Wladimir Balentien. The Mariners won 4-3 and Lopez was later quoted saying jokingly, "I wanted to run to center field...I knew the team was coming to kill me."

See also