Mariner Hits, Doubleheaders Piling Up

L.A. Times Archives

Aug. 17, 1997 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

The Seattle Mariners showed no signs of being tired Saturday.

A day after their team split a day-night doubleheader at Baltimore, Edgar Martinez, Paul Sorrento and Jay Buhner hit home runs, leading the Mariners over the White Sox, 11-6, in the first game of a doubleheader at Chicago.

Then came rest for the Mariners--temporarily. The nightcap never got started, was postponed because of rain, and will be made up as part of a doubleheader today.

“We can’t predict what Mother Nature has in store for us,” Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr. said. “They say it’s supposed to rain all day [today] too. We could end up playing three on Monday--three five-inning games, just like Little League.”

The Mariners originally were supposed to play doubleheaders on consecutive days for the first time in team history.

“We had two days off prior to [Friday,],” Mariner Manager Lou Piniella said. “It’s good to see us swing the bats. That’s what we need to do.”

It’s White Sox pitchers who could use the day off. In the last three games, Chicago has been outscored, 34-17.

Boston 12, Minnesota 4--Nomar Garciaparra extended his hitting streak to 19 games, one short of the team’s rookie record set by Fred Lynn in 1975, in the win at Boston.

The Twins lost their eighth in a row, matching their longest skid of 1997. They also dropped eight in a row from April 23-May 1.

Garciaparra hit an RBI double during a seven-run seventh. Troy O’Leary added a two-run double in the inning as the Red Sox broke the game open by scoring seven runs against three pitchers. An error by first baseman Scott Stahoviak made six of the runs unearned.

Shane Bowers gave up five runs and four hits in 2 1/3 innings. He has given up 16 runs--14 earned--in his last nine innings, a span that stretches over three starts.

Cleveland 8, Toronto 4--Matt Williams and Marquis Grissom each homered during a six-run seventh inning at Cleveland.

Williams connected against Paul Quantrill for his 26th homer, a three-run shot that put Cleveland ahead, 5-4. Grissom’s two-run homer capped the outburst. Williams, whose broken-bat single in the 10th inning proved decisive in Friday night’s game, singled home another run in the eighth for his fourth RBI.

Paul Shuey (3-1) pitched four scoreless innings. He gave up only an infield hit and struck out five.

Jeff Juden again was shaky in his third start for Cleveland since being acquired from the Montreal Expos on July 31, giving up four runs, six hits and three walks in five innings. In 14 2/3 innings with his new team, he has allowed 10 earned runs and 18 hits, with 10 walks and 13 strikeouts.

Kansas City 2, Detroit 1--Kevin Appier won for the first time in nine starts, since June 27, sending the Tigers to their fourth consecutive loss.

Johnny Damon homered and Bip Roberts hit a tie-breaking RBI single in the fifth to supply the offense at Detroit. For the Tigers, Bobby Higginson went four for four, matching his career high for hits, and drove in their lone run.

Appier (7-10) gave up one run and eight hits in eight innings with seven strikeouts and no walks. He had been 0-5 in his last eight starts.

Jeff Montgomery pitched the ninth for his 10th save. Raul Casanova grounded out with the tying run at second and two out.

Milwaukee 6, Oakland 5--Dave Nilsson, batting .222 against left-handers, singled off southpaw Mike Mohler with two out in the bottom of the ninth, driving in Fernando Vina with the winning run.

The A’s failed to score in the top of the inning, despite putting runners at first and third with one out.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

Player: Dave Justice

Team: Cleveland

Performance: 3 for 4

Team’s Result: Win

Player: B.J. Surhoff

Team: Baltimore

Performance: 6 RBIs, bases-loaded double

Team’s Result: Win