Puckett, Twins Slam Johnson, Mariners
The Seattle Mariners finally found a fire not even Randy Johnson could put out.
A winner of eight consecutive games, the big lefthander had been asked three times this season to snap Seattle losing streaks, and delivered each time while compiling All-Star numbers - a 6-0 record and a 1.91 earned run average.
On Friday in the Kingdome, the Mariners handed Johnson the baseball and their longest losing streak of the season, then basically sat back and watched the “Big Unit” attack the Minnesota Twins.
It wasn’t much of an attack.
On Johnson’s worst night of the season, the Twins beat him, 10-1 - and not long after Kirby Puckett’s grand slam took the drama out of this one, the Mariners losing streak was at five in a row.
Rookie right-hander Brad Radke started for the Twins, a 22-year-old with great potential and dreadful numbers, and won his third major-league game - his second against Seattle. Entering the game with a 7.02 ERA and a 2-6 record, Radke had allowed the opposition a .327 batting average.
The Mariners, who had lost consecutive games to Steve Howe, Rusty Meacham, Chris Haney and Kevin Appier, were no match for Radke. The kid went seven innings and allowed four hits.
“We’ve got too many guys hitting .215, .220,” manager Lou Piniella said. “We’ve got a lineup full of ‘em. There are going to be some changes.”
As the Seattle offense went quietly into the night - scoring just one run for the third game in a row - the Twins pressured Johnson from the outset. And Johnson broke.
“All those who thought I was going to go through the season undefeated, step forward,” Johnson said. “I felt great, I was pitching with an extra day of rest. My slider was up and all my fastballs were thigh high. It was like they knew what was coming.”
How uncharacteristic was Johnson’s 11th start of the year? He gave up two hits, a walk, a stolen base and a balk, all in the first inning. That put him behind 1-0.
Edgar Martinez got the Mariners even with his 10th home run in the first inning.
And that was about it for Seattle highlights.
Minnesota pushed ahead, 2-1, in the third inning, eased the lead out to 4-1 in the fourth inning and then put the hammer down on Johnson in the sixth inning, when Puckett homered with two outs and the bases jammed on a double and two walks.
Notes
Dave Fleming is out of the starting rotation indefinitely and the man who’ll take his place on Tuesday in Chicago is currently a Tacoma Rainier.
The Seattle Mariners have decided to keep Fleming in the bullpen, working daily with pitching coach Bobby Cuellar, and fill the No. 5 spot in their rotation with a minor leaguer who will join the team in Chicago.
Who’s coming? There are a number of candidates, and the Mariners insist they haven’t decided on one yet.