Seattle Still Can’t Solve Erickson Oriole Stops Mariners For 2nd Time In Five Days, 6-3

Scott Erickson is a disappointed 7-1.

“Every time you go out there, you want to go all the way,” Erickson said Friday night after winning his fifth straight start, pitching into the ninth inning as Baltimore defeated the Seattle Mariners 6-3 in the Kingdome.

Erickson beat the Mariners for the second time in five days. He gave up five hits and left with runners on first and second and no outs in the ninth.

“He thinks I’m Captain Hook,” Orioles manager Davey Johnson said.

The reason Erickson didn’t get an opportunity to get his first complete game was because of a call second-base umpire Tim McClelland made in the ninth.

After a single by Seattle’s Joey Cora, Alex Rodriguez hit a grounder to Baltimore shortstop Mike Bordick, who threw to second baseman Robert Alomar for a force. But Alomar dropped the ball.

The Orioles thought Alomar held onto it long enough. Johnson lost the argument. Instead, Johnson brought in closer Randy Myers to face Ken Griffey Jr.

“He (Erickson) would have finished it if he gets that out,” Johnson said. “I told him (McClelland) that’s never not called and he just stood there looking at me.”

Said Erickson: “That’s a routine call. I guess he (McClelland) just didn’t get a good look at it.”

Erickson allowed only one hit after the third inning. He walked none and struck out four. Myers got the final three outs, giving up a two-run double to Jay Buhner.

Six weeks into the season, Erickson appears to have a shot at winning 20 games for the second time in his career. He won 20 for Minnesota in 1991.

“It’s a good start, but the season is a long way from being over,” Erickson said.

“Scotty pitched about as well as you could pitch tonight,” Johnson said. “He was outstanding. He’s pitched great all year.”

Dennis Martinez (1-4), who talked about retiring after losing to Erickson 9-5 in Baltimore last Sunday, failed for the sixth straight time to win his 242nd game.

Martinez, 42, is hoping to become the winningest Latin American pitcher, surpassing Juan Marichal’s 243 victories.

Friday night’s game left his future still up in the air.

“I felt real sound today, and that was encouraging even though we lost,” Martinez said.

“He didn’t nibble and he went after the hitters more aggressively,” Seattle manager Lou Piniella said. “He threw the ball better.”

Alomar, 0 for 8 in a two-game series in Anaheim, gave the Orioles the lead in the third.

After one-out singles by Lenny Webster, Bordick and Brady Anderson loaded the bases, Alomar hit a two-run single. Rafael Palmeiro had an RBI single with two outs for a 3-0 lead.

Rodriguez had an RBI double in the Seattle third.

The Orioles made it 4-1 in the fourth on singles by Jeffrey Hammonds and Webster and Bordick’s sacrifice fly.

Cal Ripken Jr. doubled home a run in the eighth, and Webster homered in the ninth.

Notes

Seattle’s Joey Cora singled in the first to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. … Buhner made a spectacular diving catch of Bordick’s fly to right in the fourth.