Mariners Sail Past Angels; Streak at 7

Jim Abbott still does not have a victory, and Seattle Mariner owner Jeff Smulyan will wear his garish yellow good-luck tie another day.

Every other Angel starter--rookie Scott Lewis included--has won at least once. But Abbott, who took a one-run lead into the eighth inning against the Mariners Monday, finished with his third loss of the season when Seattle scored three times in the eighth inning to beat the Angels, 4-3, in front of 19,857 in Anaheim Stadium.

“I’m disappointed, I’d be lying to say different,” Abbott said. “It’s tough, but if you keep pitching well, we’ll win our share.”

Abbott is 0-3 this season, and winless all spring as well. His last victory came on Sept. 15, and he is 1-5 lifetime in the month of April.

“Dave Stewart, I’m not,” Abbott said.

The Mariners, on the other hand, have not lost in their past seven games, and Smulyan is wearing the tie until they end a winning streak that is the longest in the majors.

Seattle’s Brian Holman (2-1) gave up three runs on six hits in 7 2/3 innings. Mike Jackson retired the last four batters and got his first save.

The loss was the second one-run loss in two days for the Angels, who lost to Minnesota by the same score Sunday.

“It’s a shame,” Angel Manager Doug Rader said. “We didn’t give him any support. He pitched great, just like (Mark) Langston yesterday. He pitched well enough to win.”

Abbott has an earned-run average of 5.12, but in his defense, let it be noted that the Angels have scored only four runs in his three starts.

“There’s not much you can do about it,” Abbott said. “I’ve faced three good pitchers (Minnesota’s Kevin Tapani, Oakland’s Mike Moore and Holman). You know, I read a book this summer called ‘Lincoln.’ In the book, Lincoln said, ‘I’m too big too cry, and it hurts too much to laugh.’ That’s kind of the way I feel.”

Abbott, who gave up three runs on seven hits, allowed a run in the second and allowed a runner as far as third base in the fourth.

But from the fifth through the seventh he gave up only one hit and faced one hitter over the minimum.

But the speed of Mariner leadoff hitter Harold Reynolds helped even the score in the eighth. Reynolds led off with an infield single to short, beating Dick Schofield’s throw. Henry Cotto grounded to second, but Reynolds, running on the pitch, was safe at second. Reynolds stole third, getting a jump on Abbott that would have made it difficult to throw Reynolds out even if catcher Lance Parrish’s throw had not been high.

With the infield drawn in, Tracy Jones singled between third and short to score Reynolds.

Mark Eichhorn relieved Abbott, but faced only one batter. Edgar Martinez lofted a bloop double just inside the left field line and Jones scored from first.

Then came Bob McClure, a left-hander who recently came off the disabled list and had not pitched this season. McClure appeared in only 11 games last season because of elbow tendinitis.

McClure walked Alvin Davis on five pitches and fell behind Jay Buhner, 3-and-0, before walking him on five pitches to load the bases. Pete O’Brien’s fielder’s choice grounder to second allowed the third run of the inning to score, giving Seattle a 4-2 lead.

Jeff Robinson became the fourth Angel pitcher of the inning, replacing McClure, and struck out Dave Valle to end the inning.

The Angels got a run back in the bottom of the inning on Wally Joyner’s home run to right-center, his first homer of the season, as well as his first since last June 26, shortly before he went on the disabled list for the remainder of the season July 12 with a stress fracture of the right knee.

But the Angels went down in order in the ninth, ending hopes of spoiling the Mariners’ streak.

Abbott lost his first start this season, 6-0, to the Minnesota Twins, giving up five earned runs in five innings.

He pitched better in his second start, but still lost, 3-1, to Oakland. Abbott gave up seven hits in seven innings, but allowed three runs--two on home runs to Jose Canseco and Dave Henderson.

This time, the Angels scored a run on one hit in the first inning, giving Abbott a lead for the first time this season.

Luis Polonia, the leadoff hitter, reached base when Holman hit him with a pitch, took third on Luis Sojo’s single, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Joyner, who was two for two with a walk and a sacrifice fly.

Abbott did not escape the second with the lead, however. He gave up a two-out single to Pete O’Brien, who moved to second when Abbott was called for a balk. O’Brien scored on Valle’s single to right, sliding under Parrish’s swiping tag attempt on Dave Winfield’s high throw, but not being called safe until he stepped back to touch the plate.

The Angels put Abbott in front again, 2-1, in the fourth inning, once again scoring a run on one hit, when Gary Gaetti singled, driving in Joyner, who drew a leadoff walk and took second on Parrish’s walk.

Abbott seemed in fair shape until the eighth, when Reynolds’ baserunning chased him from the game, lengthening Abbott’s stretch without a victory.

“I wanted to kind of get over this hump and breathe a little easier, instead of this one win, one loss,” Abbott said. “But it’s not always in your control. You have to keep your head up and keep playing.”