evanreyes
04-25-2002, 08:47 PM
SEATTLE (AP) - Jeff Cirillo lost a chance to set a major league record. He still did plenty to help the Seattle Mariners.
Cirillo drew a bases-loaded walk from Dan Miceli with two outs in the 11th inning as the Mariners staged another dramatic comeback to beat the Texas Rangers 3-2 Saturday night.
Earlier, Cirillo made his first error in 100 games to remain tied for the record for consecutive errorless games at third base.
"I was hoping to get to 100 games," he said. "It's a play that I usually make. It was a hard-hit ball down the line and was one of those plays that could have gone either way. I'm just glad we won the game."
Seattle came from behind to win for the ninth time this season, a night after the Mariners lost 9-0 to end a 10-game winning streak.
Carlos Guillen scored the winning run after Miceli walked Cirillo on a 3-1 pitch. Guillen hit a double off the left-field wall with one out in the inning.
Rangers manager Jerry Narron used an unconventional strategy, asking Chris Michalak (0-1) to intentionally walk Ichiro Suzuki with runners on first and second to load the bases with two outs.
"We had a base open and we put him on," Narron said. "Ichiro is one of the better hitters in the league. If I get beat, I didn't want to get beat by Ichiro."
Cirillo, hitting .234 in his first season with the Mariners, said he was surprised by the move, and it gave him motivation when he got to the plate.
"We've got confidence in Jeff," manager Lou Piniella said. "I know he's been struggling a bit but I know he's going to hit. He showed patience at the plate and a walk was as important as a base hit."
Miceli, one of five Rangers pitchers, then relieved Michalak. The Mariners are 2-0 in extra innings, and the Rangers are 0-4.
"I was trying to get the ball in on him," Miceli said. "I was missing quite a bit."
Shigetoshi Hasegawa (3-0) worked three innings for the win.
The Mariners were 4-for-4 on stolen bases the same day the Rangers announced that 10-time Gold Glove catcher Ivan Rodriguez will go on the disabled list next week with a herniated disk in his back. Rodriguez's replacement, Bill Haselman, had a throwing error in the 10th.
Seattle missed a chance to end it in the 10th. With a runner on third and one out, Hideki Irabu struck out Ben Davis and Mike Cameron.
In the sixth, Cirillo tried to back-hand a hard-hit ball down the line by Haselman, but it got past him for an error.
Cirillo remains tied with John Wehner at 99 straight errorless games. Cirillo's last error was June 19, 2001, at Houston.
"It's a tough play," Piniella said. "When a guy is going for a major league record in a situation like that, you'd like to see him get the full benefit of the doubt."
The Mariners tied it in the ninth when pinch-runner Luis Ugueto scored on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Desi Relaford with one out. Irabu gave up back-to-back singles to John Olerud and Cameron to start the inning, then later intentionally walked Guillen with runners at second and third.
Texas has blown an AL-leading seven saves in nine opportunities.
Rafael Palmeiro was a bright spot, homering for the second straight night. His solo shot off James Baldwin in the sixth tied it, then Frank Catalanotto set up the go-ahead run with a one-out triple in the seventh and scored on Rusty Greer's single.
Palmeiro sent a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right field, a day after hitting his 450th career home run. He homered 10 times against the Mariners in 2001 and now has eight at Safeco Field.
Baldwin allowed two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks in 6 1/3 innings.
Texas starter Dave Burba, who began his career with Seattle, gave up one run on four hits in six-plus innings, striking out five and walking two.
Guillen hit a one-out triple in the second and scored on Dan Wilson's single.
Notes: Cameron returned to the lineup after missing Friday's game because of the flu, but went 1-for-5 with four strikeouts. ... Seattle fans cheered when highlights of the Yankees' 5-4, 10-inning loss to Toronto were shown on the big screen in center field. ... Alex Rodriguez went 0-for-5, and fans threw paper money at the former Mariners shortstop who left Seattle as a free agent.
Cirillo drew a bases-loaded walk from Dan Miceli with two outs in the 11th inning as the Mariners staged another dramatic comeback to beat the Texas Rangers 3-2 Saturday night.
Earlier, Cirillo made his first error in 100 games to remain tied for the record for consecutive errorless games at third base.
"I was hoping to get to 100 games," he said. "It's a play that I usually make. It was a hard-hit ball down the line and was one of those plays that could have gone either way. I'm just glad we won the game."
Seattle came from behind to win for the ninth time this season, a night after the Mariners lost 9-0 to end a 10-game winning streak.
Carlos Guillen scored the winning run after Miceli walked Cirillo on a 3-1 pitch. Guillen hit a double off the left-field wall with one out in the inning.
Rangers manager Jerry Narron used an unconventional strategy, asking Chris Michalak (0-1) to intentionally walk Ichiro Suzuki with runners on first and second to load the bases with two outs.
"We had a base open and we put him on," Narron said. "Ichiro is one of the better hitters in the league. If I get beat, I didn't want to get beat by Ichiro."
Cirillo, hitting .234 in his first season with the Mariners, said he was surprised by the move, and it gave him motivation when he got to the plate.
"We've got confidence in Jeff," manager Lou Piniella said. "I know he's been struggling a bit but I know he's going to hit. He showed patience at the plate and a walk was as important as a base hit."
Miceli, one of five Rangers pitchers, then relieved Michalak. The Mariners are 2-0 in extra innings, and the Rangers are 0-4.
"I was trying to get the ball in on him," Miceli said. "I was missing quite a bit."
Shigetoshi Hasegawa (3-0) worked three innings for the win.
The Mariners were 4-for-4 on stolen bases the same day the Rangers announced that 10-time Gold Glove catcher Ivan Rodriguez will go on the disabled list next week with a herniated disk in his back. Rodriguez's replacement, Bill Haselman, had a throwing error in the 10th.
Seattle missed a chance to end it in the 10th. With a runner on third and one out, Hideki Irabu struck out Ben Davis and Mike Cameron.
In the sixth, Cirillo tried to back-hand a hard-hit ball down the line by Haselman, but it got past him for an error.
Cirillo remains tied with John Wehner at 99 straight errorless games. Cirillo's last error was June 19, 2001, at Houston.
"It's a tough play," Piniella said. "When a guy is going for a major league record in a situation like that, you'd like to see him get the full benefit of the doubt."
The Mariners tied it in the ninth when pinch-runner Luis Ugueto scored on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Desi Relaford with one out. Irabu gave up back-to-back singles to John Olerud and Cameron to start the inning, then later intentionally walked Guillen with runners at second and third.
Texas has blown an AL-leading seven saves in nine opportunities.
Rafael Palmeiro was a bright spot, homering for the second straight night. His solo shot off James Baldwin in the sixth tied it, then Frank Catalanotto set up the go-ahead run with a one-out triple in the seventh and scored on Rusty Greer's single.
Palmeiro sent a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right field, a day after hitting his 450th career home run. He homered 10 times against the Mariners in 2001 and now has eight at Safeco Field.
Baldwin allowed two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks in 6 1/3 innings.
Texas starter Dave Burba, who began his career with Seattle, gave up one run on four hits in six-plus innings, striking out five and walking two.
Guillen hit a one-out triple in the second and scored on Dan Wilson's single.
Notes: Cameron returned to the lineup after missing Friday's game because of the flu, but went 1-for-5 with four strikeouts. ... Seattle fans cheered when highlights of the Yankees' 5-4, 10-inning loss to Toronto were shown on the big screen in center field. ... Alex Rodriguez went 0-for-5, and fans threw paper money at the former Mariners shortstop who left Seattle as a free agent.