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One-hit blunders Mariners' new-look lineup fails to provide offensive spark
Updated: Sunday October 15, 2000 2:50 AM
SEATTLE (AP) -- Nothing is working for the Seattle Mariners anymore -- especially their hitting. A shuffled lineup could generate only one hit off Roger Clemens and left Seattle one win from elimination in the AL Championship Series following a 5-0 loss in Game 4 Saturday night to the New York Yankees. Manager Lou Piniella benched second baseman Mark McLemore, started Carlos Guillen at third base for the first time in the postseason, put Stan Javier in the leadoff spot and played Al Martin instead of Rickey Henderson in left field. None of it worked. Martin did get the only hit off Clemens -- a leadoff double in the seventh inning -- but Clemens then struck out Alex Rodriguez and Edgar Martinez. After walking John Olerud, the Mariners' only threat ended when Mike Cameron was called out on strikes. Spoiling Clemens' bid for a no-hitter was no solace for the Mariners. "Right now, we need to win games," Martin said. "We didn't want to get no-hit, but we didn't want to lose, either." It wasn't that the Mariners weren't trying. They just couldn't swing their bats fast enough to get around on Clemens' 97 mph fastballs and forkballs. "That was one of those special performances," said Rodriguez, who was one of two walks by Clemens in the first inning and was one of three baserunners for Seattle. "Today, Roger was as dominating as I've ever seen." Cameron said the Mariners were sitting on Clemens' fastball. "When a guy is throwing 96 to 97 miles per hour, you can't look for nothing but a fastball," he said. Martin said he thought he hit a slider by Clemens for his double, but he wasn't sure. "Roger was filthy tonight," Martin said. "His forkball was dropping by a good foot. The guy came out and stuck it to us." Paul Abbott, Seattle's starter, was taken out after five innings as a precaution because of tightness in his right shoulder. He said he had trouble getting loose on a cool night from the second inning on. He said he would be ready to start again in the ALCS if the Mariners needed him. Abbott was in awe of Clemens' performance. "I wish I'd been in the stands for that one so I could have enjoyed it," he said. "From where I was sitting, it wasn't much fun. He was a five-time Cy Young winner tonight." Abbott said the Mariners knew they'd taken the Yankees' best shot. "I can't see them pitching a game like Roger did tonight," he said. A crowd of 47,803 waved white towels saying "Unleash the Mojo." They looked more like flags of surrender as the Yankees beat the Mariners for the third straight game after losing the ALCS opener 2-0. The fans chanted, cheered and made all the noise they could. Like Piniella's rearranged lineup, it didn't work. After scoring 14 runs in sweeping the Chicago White Sox in the division series, Seattle has been held to five runs and 23 hits against New York. Against Clemens, the Mariners struck out 15 times. It was little different than the past two games, when Seattle was shut down by Orlando Hernandez and Andy Pettitte. The Mariners have been outscored 20-2 since taking a 1-0 lead into the eighth inning of Game 2. "Their pitching has been good all four games, not just the last three games," Javier said. "They're playing like the Yankees are supposed to play. They're playing good ball." Piniella's bullpen couldn't hold that lead -- allowing seven runs in the eighth inning -- and Seattle hasn't been in the series since. The Mariners need to win three straight to advance to their first World Series in franchise history. Granted, the Mariners did win three straight from the Yankees in the 1995 division series after dropping the first two games. But that was against a different Yankees team and with a lineup that was hitting.
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