Late Rally Carries Angels Over M’S; Martinez Hurt

George Arias hit a two-run single in the eighth inning Saturday night to cap a three-run rally and give the California Angels a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners, who had Edgar Martinez leave the game with a rib injury.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 25th home run and drove in four runs to stake the Mariners to a 4-2 lead.

But Chili Davis and Randy Velarde opened the eighth with singles off reliever Bobby Ayala. Norm Charlton (2-4) entered and allowed an RBI double to J.T. Snow before Arias singled up the middle to drive in Velarde and Snow to make it 5-4.

Jeff Schmidt (2-0) got the final out in the eighth, and Troy Percival pitched the ninth for his 25th save.

Griffey gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead with an RBI fielder’s choice in the first. In the third, he hit a towering three-run homer off the right-field foul pole off Dennis Springer.

It was Griffey’s second home run since returning from the disabled list July 14.

Martinez, a designated hitter making his first start of the season at third base, sustained a rib injury when he and catcher John Marzano collided in the second inning while chasing a popup. Both players left the game; Martinez with a bruised right rib cage and Marzano with cuts around his left eye.

Mariners starter Bob Wolcott allowed two runs and seven hits in 6-2/3 innings. He cut short a California rally in the fourth, when the Angels scored twice. Davis led off with a homer, his 17th of the season. With one out, consecutive singles by Snow, Arias and Pat Borders made it 4-2.

But Wolcott retired Darin Erstad and Gary DiSarcina on easy fly balls and retired the next seven batters.

Springer, a 31-year-old veteran minor-leaguer looking for his first big-league victory, went seven-plus innings. The knuckleballer allowed five hits and four runs.

Notes

For those whose fascination with history borders on obsession, there’s this: Edgar Martinez had 44 doubles in his first 93 games. After 93 games in 1931, Earl Webb - en route to the major-league record of 67 doubles - had 46 doubles. … Griffey booted Jim Edmonds’ single to center in the seventh for his first error of the season and his first in 78 games since last Sept. 27. … To make room for Springer on their roster, the Angels optioned infielder Damion Easley to Triple-A Vancouver. … Seattle right-hander Chris Bosio made his third rehabilitation start Friday night for Class A Lancaster (Calif.), allowing three hits and one run in four innings. … California pitching has allowed 37 homers in the last 21 games.