Stars Shine For Mariners In 6-0 Win Johnson, Buhner, Griffey Play Key Roles As Seattle Blanks The Orioles

Randy Johnson struck out 10 in six innings and Jay Buhner’s two-run single ignited a five-run seventh as the Seattle Mariners beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-0 on Monday night.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his second home run in two games since coming off the disabled list. The solo drive, his ninth, came in the eighth off Scott Erickson.

The Mariners lifted Johnson after he made 118 pitches, and reliever Jeff Nelson (4-1) wound up with the win. They combined on a seven-hitter.

“We squandered some opportunities early and got six good innings from Randy (Johnson),” manager Lou Piniella said, “but we got it going in the seventh.”

Johnson, removed because the Mariners are keeping a close watch on his pitch count since he missed a turn Aug. 6 because of left shoulder stiffness, allowed four hits and walked three, and raised his major league-leading strikeout total to 222.

Orioles starter Kevin Brown left after three innings because of an injured left knee. Buhner hit a one-hopper off Brown’s right shin in the third. Brown was able to field the ball and throw out Buhner to end the inning, but strained his knee chasing down the ball.

“Buhner’s a streak hitter and he’s been struggling,” Piniella said. “Hopefully, that was the hit that will get him going.”

The game was scoreless when the Mariners sent 10 batters to the plate in the seventh, scoring all five runs after two were out.

Seattle loaded the bases when Armando Benitez (1-5) hit Felix Fermin and walked Edgar Martinez intentionally and Jesse Orosco walked Tino Martinez.

Facing Terry Clark, Buhner hit a hard single off third baseman Bobby Bonilla’s glove into left field. Clark, Baltimore’s six of seven pitchers, then surrendered consecutive RBI singles to Mike Blowers, Joey Cora and Dan Wilson.