| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
SEATTLE (AP) -- Kazuhiro Sasaki, Japan's all-time saves leader,
is enjoying every minute of his first pennant race in America.
Sasaki escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning to keep
the Seattle Mariners in first place in the AL West with a 6-4
victory over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night.
|  | | Rangers starter Doug Davis kicks the mound after giving up a home run to David Bell in the fourth inning of Texas' 6-4 loss in Seattle. |
"Every pitch was so important," said Sasaki, who pitched 10
years professionally in Japan before signing with the Mariners as a
free agent Dec. 18. "I have to be emotionally ready for it."
The Mariners remained a half-game ahead of Oakland, which beat
Anaheim 9-7, for the division lead.
With four games left, the Mariners' magic number to make the
playoffs is three over Cleveland, which is 1½ games behind Oakland
for the wild-card spot.
Sasaki earned his 36th save, tying the major league record for
rookies set by Todd Worrell for St. Louis in 1986.
"I'm not really thinking about records," said Sasaki, speaking
through a translator. "I'm just glad the team is winning."
Sasaki relieved with one out in the eighth with a 5-4 lead and
walked Royce Clayton, loading the bases. But Sasaki retired Rafael
Palmeiro on a fly ball to shallow center field and struck out Chad
Curtis.
Palmeiro's out in the eighth was the key to the game.
"I just threw my best pitch with everything I had," Sasaki
said.
"I did my part. I made five outs," said Palmeiro, who was
0-for-5 as Texas fell to 18 games under .500 for the first time
since 1988.
The Mariners added an insurance run in the eighth when Dan
Wilson doubled and pinch-runner Al Martin scored on a passed ball
by B.J. Waszgis.
"I don't know if it can get any more intense," Wilson said.
"With each game, you get the feeling that things are going pretty
well. But it's intense."
Freddy Garcia (9-5), moved up a day in the rotation by Mariners
manager Lou Piniella, allowed two earned runs and seven hits in six
innings. He struck out six.
Jose Paniagua replaced Garcia at the start of the seventh with
the Mariners ahead 5-3 and gave up an RBI single to Curtis.
The Mariners took a 2-1 lead in the second on Mark McLemore's
run-scoring single off the foot of rookie Doug Davis (7-6) and Mike
Cameron's sacrifice fly.
Seattle went ahead 4-2 in the fourth when David Bell led off
with his ninth homer of the season and Cameron singled in a run. In
the sixth, McLemore had an RBI double.
Bell, who is sharing third base with Carlos Guillen, went
3-for-4. Star shortstop Alex Rodriguez continued to struggle at the
plate, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and leaving him 2-for-23
on the Mariners' homestand.
"This is a lot of fun," Bell said. "It's almost like being
back in Little League. I'll have this feeling forever. Hopefully,
I'll have it again before my career is over."
Texas got an RBI single by Scarborough Green in the second and a
run on Ricky Ledee's single in the third.
The Rangers got their third run in the sixth on left fielder
Rickey Henderson's error on Randy Knorr's single.
Rangers manager Johnny Oates used five pitchers in an effort to
beat Seattle. The Rangers left 12 runners on base.
"We battled," Oates said. "We just couldn't get the big
knock. One run at a time. One run at a time."
Game notes
Henderson stole his 31st base of the season for the
Mariners. He stole five bases for the New York Mets before joining
Seattle on May 17. He is baseball's career steals leader with
1,370. ... Texas starters are 0-6 since Kenny Rogers beat Kansas
City on Sept. 7. ... Piniella watched the progress of the Oakland
and Cleveland games on the scoreboard before the first pitch at
Safeco Field. "Truthfully, I think it's an advantage to play
first. That would be my first preference," he said. ... 2B Frank
Catalanotto was hit in the right forearm by a pitch by Paniagua in
the eighth and stayed in the game although his forearm was swollen.
X-rays were negative and he is listed as day-to-day. ... Piniella
said LHP Arthur Rhodes was not available Wednesday night because
the reliever had a tired arm. Rhodes will be available Thursday.
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Texas Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
Mariners' CEO to talk with Piniella, A-Rod after season
RECAPS
Oakland 9
Anaheim 7
Toronto 4
Baltimore 0
Cleveland 8
Minnesota 2
Tampa Bay 11
NY Yankees 1
Boston 2
Chi. White Sox 1
Kansas City 3
Detroit 0
Seattle 6
Texas 4
Florida 6
Montreal 3
Houston 10
Pittsburgh 1
NY Mets 6
Atlanta 2
Chicago Cubs 1
Philadelphia 0
Milwaukee 10
Cincinnati 6
Colorado 6
Arizona 4
San Francisco 4
Los Angeles 0
St. Louis 3
San Diego 0
AUDIO/VIDEO
 David Bell is happy to contribute when he gets the chance.
wav: 445 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
|
