Bosio’s Sharp Outing Blunted Pitcher Leaves After Struck On Hand By Hit Ball In M’S Win

Despite improving his record to 5-0 on Saturday night, Chris Bosio was in no mood for celebrating.

Bosio’s bandaged right hand tempered his enthusiasm for Seattle’s 6-4 win, which broke a season-long fivegame losing streak.

Edgar Martinez hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs for the Mariners, but that was little consolation for Bosio.

Pitching as well as he had all season, Bosio took a six-run lead into the sixth inning, but was forced to leave the game shortly after taking a hard one-hopper off his right (throwing) hand from the inning’s first batter.

“What’s really frustrating is that I felt I had my best stuff all year before hurting my hand,” Bosio said. “I think it was only my stubborness that kept me on the mound after that.”

In the first five innings, Bosio walked none and he never faced more than four batters in a single inning.

Though he recovered the ball that hit him and threw out Pat Meares at first base, Bosio lost his sharpness after the injury.

He gave up a walk to Chuck Knoblauch, a single to Rich Becker, and then a three-run homer to Kirby Puckett before being relieved.

“I could see his hand was bleeding,” Seattle catcher Chad Kreuter said. “He was pitching just on guts from that point on.”

Bosio was taken to a local hospital for X-rays on the ring finger of his right hand, which came back negative. His right hand will be kept in a hand splint and be re-evaluated on Sunday.

The Mariners scored all of their runs in the first two innings and survived a four-run Minnesota sixth inning for the win.

“It was nice to get some runs early in the game and get a good lead,” Martinez said.

Seattle scored three runs in the first inning on just one hit, a sharp single by Martinez.

Mike Trombley (0-2) got into trouble by walking Seattle’s first two batters, Alex Diaz and Joey Cora. Martinez singled in Diaz, Tino Martinez’s groundout scored Cora and an error by third baseman Scott Leius allowed Edgar Martinez to score.

“The first two innings were ugly for us,” Minnesota manager Tom Kelly said. “They only hit one ball hard and they get three runs.”

Bosio earned the win in his first start since being ejected in the second inning Monday against Kansas City for throwing at a batter after giving up seven earned runs in the first inning.

He allowed five hits and three earned runs, walked one and struck out four in 5 innings.

Bobby Ayala got the last four outs for his 10th save.