Indians May Get Another Dose Of Unit

The Cleveland Indians, too bad for them, have not seen the last of Randy Johnson.

A rested and refreshed Johnson did his job Friday night, keeping Seattle close. He left the game after eight innings, and the Mariners won 5-2 in the 11th for a 2-1 lead in the AL playoffs.

The win meant Mariners manager Lou Piniella can pick when to play his ace again in the best-of-7 series. There also is the chance Seattle may not need him at all.

“This gives us options,” Piniella said. “He can pitch Game 6, if necessary. We can bring him back, no question. That has not been decided.”

Piniella was particularly pleased that Johnson threw only 100 pitches. Now, the Mariners can use him in Game 6 on Tuesday night, if needed, or save him the next night for a possible Game 7.

“I suppose I could’ve gone on tonight,” Johnson said. “But I need a rest. I can’t keep going out there. People think I have a rubber arm and that I’m invincible, but quite frankly, I’m not.”

“I’ve never been here before, so obviously I’m excited,” he said. “But mentally and physically, it can be draining, no doubt. I’ve taken on the workload and I’m fine.”

Johnson pitched on his regular four days’ rest for the first time in the posteseason, and worked for the fourth time in 12 days. His last game was Sunday, when he pitched three innings in relief and won the decisive Game 5 of the playoffs against New York.

The Mariners improved to 30-3 this season in games when the most overpowering pitcher in the majors appears, including 3-0 in the playoffs.

With the score tied at 2, Johnson walked to the mound to start the ninth, but Piniella came out before he threw a pitch and brought in reliever Norm Charlton.

“He was a little tired. He’s pitched a lot of baseball in the last 10 days or so. Even though his pitch count was low, it was a maximum intensity game because it was so close,” Piniella said.

Piniella made a slow walk to the mound, then took his time bringing in Charlton.

“The decision had been made, I just wanted to give Norm a few more pitches,” he said.

Johnson was strong at the start, retiring the first nine batters. In all, he allowed four hits and only one earned run, struck out six and walked two.

He fanned Manny Ramirez on a 97 mph fastball early, but struck out just one in his last three innings. The Indians scored the tying run in the eighth after right fielder Jay Buhner made a two-base error on a fly ball.

Johnson, who led the majors in strikeouts and the AL in ERA, wound up with a no-decision. Just scoring two runs against him was probably more than Cleveland expected.

“As you guys reminded me all week, I was very aware that I was pitching against Randy,” said Charles Nagy, who threw eight neat innings for the Indians. “To beat him, you almost have to throw a shutout.”