Junior jolts No. 34
Segui adds pair of HRs as M's throttle Rockies 9-5
Posted: Thursday July 02, 1998 09:06 AM
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Griffey went 4-for-5 with his 34th homer and a pair of RBIs (AP) |
SEATTLE (AP) -- Baseball can pressure Ken Griffey Jr. all it
wants, but the Seattle Mariners' slugger is sticking by his
decision to pass up the All-Star home run contest next Monday.
"I said a month ago that I'm not going to do it. I'm not going
to change my mind," he said.
On Wednesday night, Griffey connected off Colorado Rockies
rookie right-hander Mike Saipe for his AL-leading 34th homer and
added three doubles in a 9-4 victory.
The leading All-Star vote-getter for the third straight year
declined an invitation to go to the home run contest in Denver
because the Mariners play a game in Texas on Sunday night.
David Segui, a first baseman who wasn't selected to the All-Star squad
despite his impressive numbers, gave Seattle consecutive homers and a 5-1
lead when he followed Griffey's shot with a 439-foot blast to right-center
in the third.
"I don't even care about the All-Star game," Segui said.
"Maybe I'd like to go to it once before my career is over, but
it's never been anything that's important to me. I'd rather go home
[to Kansas City] and spend three days with my kids."
Edgar
Martinez also homered for the Mariners, who lead the majors with 133
homers even though they're in last place in the AL West.
"I remember when 25 to 30 home runs was a real good season,"
Seattle manager Lou Piniella said. "I think the way this thing is
going that a few people will be in the 60s. That's a lot of home
runs, isn't it?"
Griffey's first four-hit game of the season gave him a major
league-leading 56 extra-base hits. His two-run shot in the third inning pulled him within three homers of Mark McGwire,
who leads the majors with 37.
Griffey, who won the AL home run title with 56 last season, is
on a pace to hit 65 this season.
"They're a great offensive club," Colorado manager Don Baylor
said. "They're going to hit mistakes. You can't pitch them up in
the zone. If you can't sink the ball and change speeds, you're
going to get hit."
Ken Cloude (4-7), who had lost his last six decisions, got his first
victory since April 24. He gave up five runs and five hits in 5 1/3
innings, including homers to All-Star Vinny
Castilla and Todd Helton.
Seattle relievers Greg McCarthy,
Bobby Ayala
and Mike
Timlin combined for 3 2/3 innings of scoreless, three-hit relief.
Colorado took a 1-0 lead in the first with an unearned run resulting
from All-Star shortstop Alex
Rodriguez's 12th error of the season.
After Rodriguez singled in the bottom of the inning, Martinez hit his
13th homer of the season to put Seattle ahead 2-1.
The Rockies scored three runs in the fourth on Castilla's solo homer
and Helton's two-run shot to cut Seattle's lead to 5-4. But the Mariners
opened the fifth with five straight hits to chase Saipe, who was making his
second major league start. Martinez had an RBI double, Segui hit a two-run
homer and Glenallen
Hill doubled in a run.
Ellis
Burks hit a sacrifice fly for Colorado in the sixth.
Saipe went four-plus innings, allowing nine runs and 13 hits. Notes: Griffey tied Frank Howard for the third-most homers before
the All-Star break. Howard hit 34 homers for the Washington Senators before
the break in 1969. ... Segui had his third two-homer game of the season and
the fourth of his career. He is batting .330 with 14 homers and 59 RBIs.
... The Mariners had their fifth four-homer game of the season. They hit
six homers in one game and five in another. The 1997 Mariners set a major
league record with 264 homers. ... New Mariners outfielder Rickey Cradle
made his major league debut when he replaced Hill in left field in the
eighth. He grounded into a fielder's choice in the bottom of the
inning.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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