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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Orioles Batter M’S Pitching Baltimore’s Five-Run Seventh Proves Costly In 11-4 Defeat

Larry Larue Tacoma News Tribune

The three pitchers least likely to beat the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday didn’t.

The day after they lost Ken Griffey Jr. for at least three months, the Seattle Mariners used Bob Wells, Dave Fleming and rookie Tim Harikkala and watched two leads slip away - along with the game, which they lost 11-4.

After falling behind 1-0, the M’s rallied to tie in the first inning, took a 2-1 lead in the second and then leap-frogged a 3-2 Baltimore lead to go ahead in the fifth inning 4-3.

But trying to extend a miniwinning streak of three games, the Mariners had to go with their least successful, most inexperienced pitchers until the late innings - and by the time they got to the late innings, there was no need to bring in their best.

“I didn’t pitch my best pitchers,” manager Lou Piniella said, “but if I have to use Jeff Nelson, Bill Risley and Bobby Ayala to keep us in every game we’d better only play half a season.”

Wells, the 28-year-old rookie right-hander, got into the sixth inning ahead, 4-3.

That was as far as he got, and as far as Seattle’s lead went, too. When Wells left, there was one out and a pair of Orioles on base. Fleming, asked to get a couple of outs, got one. Fleming walked two, struck out Andy Van Slyke, and gave up pinchhitter Kevin Bass’ two-out, two-run single that put Baltimore up 5-4.

The result? “Wells is back in the bullpen and Dave Fleming is going to start in that spot,” Piniella said. “I’m being perfectly blunt here - our pitching staff is still in transition. Wells can pitch two, three times a week in relief, Fleming has pitched better the last few weeks, so he goes back into the rotation.”

When Fleming departed, the Mariners went to long reliever Harikkala, the 23-year-old right-hander asked to make his major-league debut with the bases loaded and Jeffrey Hammond at the plate. Harikkala ran the count full, then got Hammond on a routine fly ball.

It was the only easy inning he had. Harikkala was given the game and the job of keeping Baltimore close. He couldn’t, and when the Orioles scored five runs in the seventh inning - after pushing home two in the sixth - the game was gone.