Martinez

Injury benches M's designated hitter

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Originally published Saturday, April 13, 2002

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Seattle Mariners designated hitter Edgar Martinez has a ruptured left hamstring and was scheduled to have surgery today.

Martinez injured the hamstring while running out a grounder to third base in the ninth inning of Thursday's 8-4 victory that completed a three-game sweep at Anaheim. The six-time All-Star had to be helped off the field.

An MRI exam was done Friday, and the Mariners put Martinez on the 15-day disabled list.

Seattle manager Lou Piniella said he knows his DH will be out longer than 15 days. He just doesn't know how long.

"It hurts anybody to lose your fourth hitter, and one of the best hitters in baseball," Piniella said.

Martinez, who was walking awkwardly in the clubhouse before Friday's series opener, was limited to just 42 games in 1993 after he injured his left hamstring in a spring training game.

"It feels a little better than in '93, when I could hardly walk at home," Martinez said. "I have movement with some pain."

Ruben Sierra, who resurrected his career in Texas the past 1 1/2 seasons, was the starting DH on Friday night and hit a first-inning grand slam in Seattle's 7-3 victory.

The Mariners purchased the contract of first baseman Ron Wright from Triple-A Tacoma of the Pacific Coast League. Wright, who has 121 homers in the minors the last eight seasons without playing in the majors, signed with Seattle as a free agent during the offseason.

Martinez knew something was wrong when he got about halfway to first base Thursday night. He peeled off the basepath and fell to the ground even before touching the base.

"I know something really snapped in there," Martinez said. "What I felt wasn't a strain or a mild pull. It felt like it did in '93."

Martinez, a .319 career hitter going into this season, was off to a slow start at .243 (9-for-37) with no homers and five RBIs in his first 10 games.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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