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Mariners August 14-20, 2001
Comeback capers continue Edgar's homer gives M's another win in final at-bat HOWARD ULMAN, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Originally published August 15
BOSTON -- Give Edgar Martinez enough chances to drive in runs and he's bound to deliver.
Martinez, who failed with runners in scoring position in his previous three at-bats, hit a three-run homer in the 11th inning that gave the Seattle Mariners a 6-3 win Tuesday night over the Boston Red Sox.
"That's the guy you want up there," Mariners manager Lou Piniella said. "If you keep giving those types of hitters chances, invariably they're going to produce big-time for you."
Seattle won on its last at-bat for the fourth time in its last five victories and clinched the season series over Boston for the first time in 12 years.
Boston, which dropped four games behind the AL East-leading Yankees, had taken a 3-2 lead in the eighth. But Seattle tied it in the ninth against closer Derek Lowe on singles by David Bell, Stan Javier and Ichiro Suzuki with no outs.
With one out in the 11th against Rod Beck (5-4), Suzuki got his fourth single of the game as he beat out a hopper to shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. He then stole his second base of the night before Mark McLemore walked.
Then Martinez came up. He led the AL with 145 RBIs last year and had 82 coming in. He had failed to advance seven runners in his previous three at-bats, but with an 0-and-2 count he hit a high drive off the light tower in left field for his 18th homer and fourth in seven games.
"I had three chances," he said. "I got myself out and they also made good pitches."
For Beck, it was another in an inexplicable series of homers. He's allowed seven in his last 13 appearances, matching the total he gave up in his first 44 games.
"I thought I popped him up," Beck said. "I don't think I could lob the ball up there underhanded and have as many balls leave the yard. I have no explanation."
Jose Paniagua (4-3) pitched a perfect 10th and Kazuhiro Sasaki worked the 11th for his 37th save in 43 chances as Seattle won despite leaving 11 runners on base.
Seattle nearly went ahead in the ninth after Lowe left the game with the score tied at 3 with runners at first and third and no outs.
"When you leave pitches over the plate, they're going to hit it," Lowe said.
Casey Fossum replaced him, and Suzuki stole second before McLemore walked, loading the bases.
"Ichiro tough. Ichiro can run, puts the ball in play," Red Sox manager Jimy Williams said, "and then Martinez and then Sasaki."
But Fossum retired Martinez on a fly to short center in the ninth. Then he got John Olerud to hit a hard grounder to first baseman Shea Hillenbrand, who fired to catcher Doug Mirabelli for one out then took the return throw for a double play.
Martinez also struck out in the fifth with runners at first and third, and grounded into a double play in the seventh with runners at first and second.
Seattle stranded Bret Boone at second in the 10th after a leadoff single.
"We left a few on tonight," Piniella said, "but the three-run homer took care of that."
The Mariners improved to 5-2 against Boston with two games left today and Thursday. The last time they took the season series they were 8-4 against the Red Sox.
Seattle had taken a 2-0 lead with no outs in the second against Hideo Nomo on Boone's double and Mike Cameron's 18th homer.
The Red Sox cut that to 2-1 in the fourth against Jamie Moyer on singles by Dante Bichette and Mike Lansing and Hillenbrand's sacrifice fly. They tied it in the sixth on Carl Everett's 13th homer.
Boston went ahead in the eighth on a double by Manny Ramirez, a wild pitch by Jeff Nelson and an infield single by Hillenbrand.
M's 6, Red Sox 3
- Record: 86-33.
- Today: Seattle (Garcia 13-4) at Boston (F. Castillo 7-6), 4 p.m. (FSN).
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