M's hit sweep spot

Seattle Times staff reporter

This is not the same Seattle team as two years ago, but as the Mariners continue to play with the same efficiency as they did last night, the echoes of 2001 are becoming discernible.

The Mariners (14-8) spotted Cleveland two first-inning runs, then came back for a 4-2 victory last night before 26,263 at Safeco Field. It was their season-high fourth straight win. The Mariners, who have won 10 of their past 12, lead the American League West by two games. Besides winning their first series of the season, it also was the first time since July 9-11, 1993 the Mariners have swept the Indians in a three-game series.

"This is a great team, man. They get behind and never give up," said reliever Giovanni Carrara, acquired on waivers from Dodgers just as the season began. Carrara worked his way out of a key seventh-inning, bases-loaded jam to help preserve the win.

"I feel so blessed to come here, especially three days before spring training was over," he said. "This is a team with a chance to go to the World Series."

Carrara may be getting a little ahead of himself, even ahead of the 2001 team, which won a record 116 games yet never advanced to the World Series. The next season, Seattle didn't even reach the playoffs.

"Not to make excuses, but we had a lot of injuries last year. I had a tough first half. Ichiro had a tough second half," said Bret Boone, who drilled a crucial fifth-inning, two-run single that put the Mariners ahead for good. "Cammy (Mike Cameron) and Jeff (Cirillo) had tough years. Freddy (Garcia) had a bad second half. Oly (John Olerud) limped down the stretch. We missed Nellie (Jeff Nelson) for a month and a half. We missed Norm (Charlton) all year.

M's replay

Mariners 4, Cleveland 2

Winning pitcher: Jamie Moyer (3-1).

Losing pitcher: Billy Traber (0-2).

Key to the game: Bret Boone hit a two-run single in the fifth inning.

Today: Seattle vs. Detroit, 7:05 p.m.

TV/radio: FSN/KOMO (1000 AM)

Starting pitchers: M's Joel Pineiro

(1-1, 4.85) vs. Mike Maroth (0-5, 4.55)

"And we still won 93 games. I think if we keep this team healthy, we can beat anybody. We're no different. What's different about us from our 2001 team? I think our bench is better."

The rotation is much the same and perhaps better, especially with the emergence of fifth starter Gil Meche.

"The starters have been great for the past week to 10 days," manager Bob Melvin said.

Jamie Moyer (3-1), who has been one of the game's winningest pitchers since his trade here in July 1996, won his 101st game as a Mariner. He went six innings, allowing two earned runs, six hits, walking two and striking out seven. He has beaten the Indians four straight times.

"The key is getting ahead of the hitters," Moyer said. "They (Indians) give you a lot of difficult at-bats."

The sub-50-degree evening may have had something to do with Moyer's inability to settle in early. Omar Vizquel doubled into the left-field corner to open the game. He then stole third on a 1-1 pitch to Casey Blake. Then Moyer, floating his offspeed offerings around the zone, worked the count to 3-2. But Blake hit the next pitch off the top of the left-field wall to give the Indians a two-run lead.

The Mariners then scored what may have been their most important run — coming right back in the bottom of the first. With one out, Cleveland starter Billy Traber, a late replacement for Brian Anderson (sore backside) walked Randy Winn. After Winn advanced to second on Boone's ground out, Edgar Martinez bounced a single through the left side to score Winn. It was the first of four two-out runs for the Mariners.

Martinez is now eight hits away from 2,000 hits in his 15-year big-league career.

"The first two guys score, it's 2-0, then that's it," Melvin said. "If ever there was a guy who could settle in, slow things down and make adjustments, it's Jamie."

Moyer kept it a one-run game when it appeared the Indians were ready to erupt in the third inning. John McDonald opened with a single to left. Vizquel then bounced a double directly on the right-field line, putting runners on second and third.

Boone broke a 0-for-8 slide with his two-run single up the middle off reliever Jose Santiago in the fifth. Willie Bloomquist finished the scoring with an RBI single in the sixth.

Carrara, who took over for Moyer in the seventh, got into trouble after two outs. Blake and Burks both legged out left-side infield singles. Carrara walked Garcia and went 3-0 to Spencer, percolating the crowd. He worked the count to 3-2, then got him to swing at an inside fastball, breaking his bat on a ground out to third.

"I wanted to throw the pitch away but it tailed in on his hands," Carrara said.

Bob Sherwin: 206-464-8286 or bsherwin@seattletimes.com

TODAY

TOMORROW

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

vs. Detroit

Off day

@ New York

7:05 p.m. (FSN)

1:05 p.m. (FSN)

4:05 p.m. (Ch. 11)

4:05 p.m. (FSN)

NUMBERS


W-L		WINNING PCT.
14-8		.636

W/L streak	W-4	vs. AL Central	3-0
At home	9-4	vs. NL	0-0
On the road	5-4	vs. LHP	6-2
vs. AL West	11-8	vs. RHP	8-6
vs. Anaheim	3-3	Day games	7-0
vs. Oakland	4-3	Night games	7-8
vs. Texas	4-2	One-run games	5-1
vs. AL East	0-0	Extra-inn. games	3-0