Johnson Strong-Arms Texas As M’S Retain Control With Win Over Rangers And Angels’ Loss, M’S Move Within Two Of A.L. West Lead

It is seldom suggested to match power against power with the Seattle Mariners. Few teams have as much at the plate. No team has as much on the mound when Randy Johnson is pitching.

Johnson, Mike Blowers and Edgar Martinez reminded the Texas Rangers of this mismatch Monday night. Blowers’ three-run homer in the third inning knocked out Bobby Witt and gave Johnson more than enough cushion to carry the Mariners to an 8-1 victory in the opener of the biggest series in the history of both franchises.

Martinez added a late homer as Seattle remained ahead in the crowded race for the American League wild card spot. Texas dropped to 7-3 on the road trip, 68-65 overall and fell into fourth in the wild card race, two games behind the Mariners.

Kevin Gross faces Chris Bosio tonight, with the Rangers needing to break the spell they have fallen under against Seattle. They are 2-15 against the Mariners the last two seasons.

As if Johnson isn’t enough of an edge by himself, Seattle has developed a true dome-field advantage. A crowd of 29,515 rocked the Kingdome as the Mariners pulled within two games of the fading California Angels in the A.L. West. The crowd spent much of the evening chanting “Vote Yes!”

King County residents vote today on a sales-tax increase to fund the retractable roof stadium necessary to keep Mariners ownership from selling the team to interests from Northern Virginia, Charlotte, N.C., or elsewhere.

Witt (3-3), working on three days’ rest, could not put a damper on an evening that was as festive as today will be nervous for Seattle baseball fans. He allowed seven hits and six runs (five earned) in two innings, ending an eight-game stretch in which Texas starters had not allowed more than four earned runs.

Johnson (15-2) held the Rangers to three hits in eight innings. He struck out 10 and walked only two.

Otis Nixon remains the Rangers’ only consistent weapon against Johnson. Nixon, who had reached base five of seven times against Johnson in two previous 1995 meetings, stole a run in the first inning and put himself in position to score in the third.

Nixon worked Johnson for a walk to open the game, making him throw strikes even after falling behind 1-2. Mark McLemore bunted him to second. Nixon caught Johnson napping and broke for third before the first pitch to Will Clark. Johnson spun belatedly and fired the ball past Blowers, who was breaking to cover third. Nixon strolled in.

Homers by Blowers and Martinez give the Mariners 39 in their last 24 games, equaling the Rangers’ total in 43 games since Aug. 4. Seattle is fourth in the A.L. with 164 homers.

Witt lacked the command he had Thursday in Toronto, when he threw only 40 balls in a 115-pitch victory. He needed 25 pitches to get through the first inning, giving up a run on a Ken Griffey single. Witt gave up two more runs in the second, thanks mostly to Dan Wilson’s triple. His troubles were exacerbated by two defensive plays that weren’t made in the third inning.

Third baseman Craig Worthington made a diving stop of a hard grounder by Tino Martinez but made a hurried throw that skipped past Clark. Jay Buhner followed with a pop to shallow center that dropped for a gift single when shortstop Esteban Beltre overran it. Blowers followed by driving a 1-2 fastball from Witt into the seats in right field. The Mariners led, 6-1.

Tickets via phone

Eastern Washington fans of the Mariners looking to pick up playoff tickets have a couple of telephone numbers they can call to order the postseason strips when tickets go on sale Wednesday.

The Mariners will put tickets for a possible playoff appearance on sale for the first time in their history at 8 a.m. that day through telephone sales. Tickets for 10 possible playoff games in the Kingdome will be sold in strips for the same seat for all games.

Prices for the strips are $415, $315, $300 and $185. Tickets to all games not played will be refunded.

Numbers for Eastern Washington residents to call are: (509) 453-7139 and (509) 735-0500.

There is no local outlet selling the tickets.

Lucrative offer

Ken Griffey Jr. has been offered $12 million to play one season for an undisclosed Japanese team and endorse the sponsoring company’s products, according to the Seattle center fielder’s agent.

Griffey’s contract expires in 1997 and both sides are working on a contract extension. Griffey hopes to stay in Seattle, where the M’s are making their first bid for postseason play, said attorney Brian Goldberg.

“He’s been treated like a king out there by current and past ownership and by the front office and by the fans,” Goldberg said Monday from his Cincinnati office.

The company, which Goldberg would not name, was talking with Griffey about endorsements when one of its officials raised the issue of a playing contract - “just to let you know we can expand on that” endorsement offer, the agent said.

“It is not something we pursued. It came to us,” Goldberg said.