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Thorn in their side Indians' Vizquel continues torment of former team
Updated: Saturday October 13, 2001 9:17 PM
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Since being traded to Cleveland, Omar Vizquel has been nothing but trouble for the Seattle Mariners. The shortstop went 4-for-6 with six RBIs against his former team Saturday as Cleveland took a 2-1 division series lead with a 17-2 victory. Vizquel's six RBIs set an Indians' postseason record, and he played stellar defense, as usual, snaring Mark McLemore's liner in the fifth and throwing out John Olerud on a grounder deep into the shortstop hole in the sixth. "Coming into the series, there were some doubts whether we were going to hit or not," Vizquel said. "But I think in this kind of competition, your level of concentration can rise a little bit. You just have to be relaxed and trust in yourself." Vizquel batted .421 against the Mariners in Jacobs Field this year, and it was his two-out, three-run triple in the ninth inning that helped the Indians rally from 12 runs down to beat the Mariners on Aug. 5. His second-inning triple Saturday scored two runs and gave the Indians a 4-2 lead. He added a bases-loaded double in the eighth. Vizquel has been heartily booed in Seattle since he sparked a near brawl between the two teams during and August game at Safeco Field. Vizquel complained to the umpire about diamond earrings worn by Seattle reliever Arthur Rhodes. Vizquel said the sunlight sparkling in the earrings was distracting him at the plate. The umpires asked Rhodes to remove the earrings and Rhodes protested. Both benches cleared and Rhodes was ejected, though no punches were thrown. Vizquel said he takes no special pleasure from beating the Mariners. "I was traded seven years ago, so that's way in the past," he said. "It's always satisfying when you go into the playoffs and you win, it doesn't matter who it is." Freddy Garcia, who starts Game 4 for the Mariners, said getting out Vizquel and Kenny Lofton are key parts of Seattle's strategy. "Try to throw strikes," he said. "Try to keep Lofton and Vizquel off the bases."
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