Mariners’ Bench Leaves Blue Jays Pining For Victory

For those who think a bench is something to sit upon, here’s a baseball refresher course.

A bench is where games can get won and lost late. Where reserves wait to make an impact - good or bad - upon a team’s season. It is what Seattle Mariners manager Lou Piniella threw at Toronto on Sunday.

And the bench landed hard on the Blue Jays.

“You try to set up your bench to be as versatile as it can be,” Piniella said. “We’ve got speed on our bench. We’ve got a little power. A pretty good group of defensive players who can play every position on the field.”

Resting regulars Alex Rodriguez and Russ Davis, the Mariners started Doug Strange at third base and Luis Sojo at shortstop, putting Alex Diaz in left field and, late in the game, inserting Rich Amaral as a pinch-runner who then stayed in the game and played first base.

The result?

Strange went 2 for 4, singling home the tie-breaking run in the eighth inning, hitting a three-run homer in the ninth.

Sojo went 1 for 4, scored one run and drove home another. Amaral scored a run.

Diaz went 0 for 5 - but made two marvelous running catches.

“None of us show up every day expecting to play,” Strange said. “All of us have to try and stay ready. We made a difference last year, we can do it again.”

Without question, the Mariners don’t tie the California Angels for the division lead last year without the heroics of Amaral, Sojo, Strange and Diaz.

“Sojo can play any infield position and the outfield,” Piniella said. “Strange can play first, second and third and the outfield. Amaral can play any outfield position and first base. Diaz is as good a fourth outfielder as there is in baseball - and like Amaral, he can steal a base for you.

“These guys are a big part of our team and it showed again today.”

Coming up

First showdown of the year with California - the team Seattle beat in a one-game playoff last season for the American League West title. Paul Menhart (0-1, 8.57 ERA) makes his first start as a Mariner, opposed by former Mariner Shawn Boskie (0-0, 5.11) in the 7:05 p.m. game in the Kingdome. It will be shown on Prime Sports cable television.

Notes

Joey Cora, who had seven career home runs in 2,028 at-bats before this season, has three in his first 32 at-bats… . The 25 home runs Seattle has hit in its first 12 games would be more impressive if the pitching staff had not allowed 22… . Norm Charlton, who hasn’t pitched in a week, is ready to play after losing 12 pounds in seven days to the flu.