The Associated Press
Starting pitcher Jamie Moyer delivers a pitch in the first inning of Seattle's 7-3 win over Texas on Friday.

Sierra's slam sparks Seattle

STEPHEN HAWKINS, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Originally published Saturday, April 13, 2002

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Ruben Sierra resurrected his career with the Texas Rangers. He made them pay for letting him go.

Sierra, starting at designated hitter because of an injury to Edgar Martinez, hit a grand slam in his first at-bat against his former team, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Rangers 7-3 on Friday night.

"I feel good that I did that and I helped my team to win," the soft-spoken Sierra said, preferring to let the homer do his talking.

The 36-year-old Sierra hit .291 with 23 homers and 67 RBIs in 94 games for Texas last season. He wanted to come back, but new Rangers general manager John Hart never offered him a new contract and Seattle signed Sierra to a $1.9 million, one-year deal on Dec. 26.

Sierra's fifth career grand slam, his first homer for Seattle, gave the Mariners a 5-0 lead in the first inning.

"The schedule says we have to come here to play. I'm not looking for anything special," Sierra said. "I'm just looking to play everyday, anywhere and beat the other team. That's all we play for."

After winning an AL-record 59 road games last season, the Mariners have started their first road trip of 2002 with five straight wins.

Jamie Moyer (1-1), pulled after a leadoff walk in the sixth, allowed two runs on four hits. He struck out four and walked four.

Seattle loaded the bases with no outs in the first against Ismael Valdes (0-2). After John Olerud's infield popout, Mike Cameron was hit by a pitch and Sierra homered to center.

"This guy proved it last year, he's back," Mariners second baseman Bret Boone said of Sierra.

"It's tough anytime you give up a grand slam, no matter who it is," said Rangers manager Jerry Narron. "But my personal feeling is that I'm glad he turned his career around last year, and I'm happy he's still playing."

Sierra, 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout, started because Martinez was put on the 15-day disabled list earlier Friday.

Seattle said after the game that the hamstring tendon Martinez ruptured Thursday will need surgery this weekend.

"It's a huge to lose a guy like Edgar in the middle of our lineup," Boone said. "We're fortunate to have someone like Ruben to step up in that role."

Rafael Palmeiro had an RBI double for Texas in the third. The Mariners got the run right back when Bret Boone, the first batter Todd Van Poppel faced after replacing Valdes, hit a sacrifice fly for a 6-1 lead.

Valdes gave up six runs on seven hits over 3 1-3 innings.

Carl Everett, the last batter Moyer faced, scored on rookie Hank Blalock's double. Kevin Mench, another rookie, added an RBI single.

Mark McLemore had an RBI single in the eighth for Seattle.

Sierra was 17 when he signed with the Rangers in 1983, and made his major league debut three years later. He was an All-Star three times in six seasons before being traded to Oakland on Aug. 31, 1992.

He was an All-Star for Oakland in 1994. He then played for the New York Yankees, Detroit, Cincinnati and Toronto before the Chicago White Sox released him after he played just 27 games at the start of 1998.

The Rangers re-signed Sierra after he spent 1999 in the independent Atlantic League and started 2000 in the Mexican League, and he played at Triple-A Oklahoma before a September callup. He started last year back in the minors before being recalled May 3.

"He's got production left. The ball jumps off his bat," Seattle manager Lou Piniella said. "If he stays within himself and doesn't try to overdo it, he'll help us."

Mariners 7, Rangers 3

- Record: 8-3.

- Today: Seattle (Abbott 0-0) at Texas (Irabu 0-1), 5 p.m. (KIRO, Ch. 7).

- M's memories: Do you have a favorite memory from the 1977 or 1978 Mariners seasons? Send us an e-mail at news@theolympian.com or write to us at Box 1219, Olympia, WA 98507.

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