M’S Bullpen By Committee Seals Off Sox Three Relievers Fans Three Chicago Batters In 8th

Tying run on third, no outs and the infield in. Frank Thomas, Robin Ventura and Lyle Mouton coming up. How can the Chicago White Sox not score?

Easy: The Seattle Mariners’ bullpen wouldn’t let them hit the ball.

“I tell you what, that’s some pitching and those are three pretty good hitters,” Seattle manager Lou Piniella said after the three relievers he summoned each struck out a batter in the eighth inning to preserve a 3-2 victory Friday night.

The win moved the Mariners into first place in the wild card race. New York fell one game back with an 8-1 loss to Baltimore.

“Lou has to be happy because they didn’t hit the ball,” said Jeff Nelson, who struck out Thomas. “The infield’s in and a guy on third, that’s tough. I didn’t want to walk Thomas because then a double play still ties it up. And when he hits the ball, his outs are hard.”

After Nelson got Thomas, Lee Guetterman fanned Ventura and Bill Risley struck out Mouton. That left Dave Martinez, who had tripled off starter Andy Benes to open the bottom of the inning, stranded.

Norm Charlton pitched the ninth for his 10th save.

“I really thought we would tie the game but it happens. Sometimes guys strike out,” White Sox manager Terry Bevington said. “Ninety percent of the time we’ll get the run in.”

The bullpen bailed out Benes, and Vince Coleman had four hits and doubled in the go-ahead run for Seattle.

“This has to be the game of the year for me, getting on base five times, scoring two runs and getting a big hit,” said Coleman. “But the relief pitchers came in and they struck out two of the best hitters in the game.”

Coleman scored Seattle’s second run on an odd error by Martinez at first base. With Coleman dancing off the bag, Martinez threw past starter Jason Bere, trying to return the ball to him. Coleman alertly dashed home.

Notes

Jay Buhner’s streak of consecutive games with a homer was stopped at five. The Mariners stretch of consecutive games with a homer was halted at 16… . Bevington is 48-49 since taking over for Gene Lamont as the White Sox manager on June 2.

Edgar Martinez hit his 200th career double in the eighth, tying him for second on the Mariners’ career list.