Muscle And Hustle Give Mariners Win Wilson’s Slam, Griffey’s Catch Spark Seattle To 5-3 Victory Over Angels

Dan Wilson can’t explain it.

The Seattle Mariners’ No. 1 catcher had a total of 12 home runs in 1994 and 1995. Now, he’s got five in six days, including his first career grand slam in a 5-3 victory over the California Angels Tuesday night.

“I don’t think it’s anything magical,” Wilson said. “It’s just the way it’s happening right now.”

The Mariners notched their sixth straight victory - two shy of the club record - as Wilson drove in all five Seattle runs.

“I’m not thinking home runs, but I hope I can continue this,” he said.

Ken Griffey Jr. kept the game scoreless earlier with a sensational catch in center field, reaching over the fence to rob California’s George Arias of a three-run homer.

Randy Johnson (3-0) struck out nine in eight innings. He allowed one run on four hits, including a homer by Rex Hudler in the seventh that tied it at 1.

Wilson connected for his grand slam in the bottom of the seventh, giving him a career-high five RBIs. He hit three home runs in Seattle’s 9-1 victory in Detroit last Thursday in a game in which Johnson won his second game.

It was a night for the Mariners to remember and the Angels to forget.

Griffey broke his left wrist crashing into the Kingdome wall last May 26 while making a brilliant catch of a drive by Kevin Bass of Baltimore. He missed the next 73 games.

Griffey wasn’t thinking about his injury when he went up to get Arias’ towering 400-foot fly.

“If I get hurt again, I get hurt,” Griffey said. “Outfielders live for this kind of thing.”

“He’s a human-highlight film,” Johnson said of Griffey. “We could have been behind 3 to nothing.”

Jim Abbott (0-3) was the loser in the Angels’ fourth consecutive defeat. A day earlier, California blew a 9-1 lead and lost 11-10 to Seattle.

“We probably hit Johnson harder than they hit Jim,” Angels manager Marcel Lachemann. “But Griffey goes over the fence and takes three runs away from us.”

While Johnson had to play a secondary role to Wilson and Griffey, Hudler put Johnson’s performance in perspective. The Mariners are 31-3 in Johnson’s last 34 starts.

“He’s the finest pitcher in the game today,” Hudler said.

Mike Aldrete hit his second pinch-homer of the season in the California ninth, a two-run shot with two outs off Mike Jackson.

Griffey, a six-time Gold Glove winner, made his brilliant play to end the fourth inning. He leaped high at the 400-foot mark, reaching over the 8-1/2-foot wall for the catch, and the Kingdome crowd of 25,404 responded with a standing ovation.

“Junior timed it perfectly,” Seattle manager Lou Piniella said. “He looked like Luke Skywalker.”

In the Seattle seventh, Abbott walked Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner followed with a pop-fly double down the line that right fielder Tim Salmon barely failed to catch. Russ Davis’ infield single loaded the bases and Wilson homered 368 feet into the left-field stands.

In the Seattle fifth, Martinez doubled past Arias at third base. After Martinez stole third, Wilson singled with two outs.

Notes

Griffey’s sensational catch was considered on the par with his over-the-wall catch he made April 26, 1990, at Yankee Stadium to rob Jesse Barfield… . Wilson hit his third career homer against Abbott. He’s 7 for 17 against the Angels’ left-hander… . Johnson improved his career record to 11-5 against California… . Abbott dropped to 4-12 against Seattle… . Martinez stole his first base of the season.

Mariners 5, Angels 3

California AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Velarde 2b 4 0 0 0 1 3 .234 Edmonds cf 3 0 0 0 0 2 .283 Salmon rf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .269 Wallach dh 4 0 1 0 0 2 .250 Snow 1b 4 1 1 0 0 1 .250 Hudler lf 4 1 1 1 0 2 .286 Arias 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 .229 a-Howell ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .250 Slaught c 3 0 1 0 0 1 .412 b-Aldrete ph 1 1 1 2 0 0 .500 DiSarcina ss 3 0 1 0 0 0 .171 Totals 34 3 7 3 1 12 Seattle AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Amaral lf-1b 3 0 1 0 0 0 .222 Sojo 2b 4 0 0 0 0 1 .300 Griffey Jr cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .229 EMartinz dh 3 2 1 0 1 0 .283 Buhner rf 4 1 1 0 0 1 .286 RJordan 1b 3 0 0 0 0 1 .167 ADiaz lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 .130 RDavis 3b 2 1 1 0 1 1 .333 DWilson c 3 1 2 5 0 0 .310 ARodrigz ss 3 0 0 0 0 0 .239 Totals 30 5 7 5 2 4 California 000 000 102 - 3 7 0 Seattle 000 010 40x - 5 7 0 a-struck out for Arias in the 9th. b-homered for Slaught in the 9th.

LOBCalifornia 7, Seattle 4. 2B-EMartinez (7), Buhner (2). HR-DWilson (5) off JAbbott; Hudler (2) off RJohnson; Aldrete (3) off MJackson. RBIsHudler (2), Aldrete 2 (8), DWilson 5 (15). SB-Edmonds (1), Griffey Jr (1), EMartinez (1). S-DiSarcina. GIDPSojo.

Runners left in scoring position-California 4 (Edmonds, Wallach 2, Arias); Seattle 2 (ADiaz, ARodriguez).

DP-California 1 (DiSarcina, Velarde and Snow).

California IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA JAbbott L,0-3 6-1/3 6 5 5 2 3 91 7.71 James 2/3 0 0 0 0 1 16 2.25 Frohwirth 1 1 0 0 0 0 16 0.00 Seattle IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA RJhnsn W,3-0 8 4 1 1 1 9 128 2.48 MJackson 1 3 2 2 0 3 23 2.57 HBPby James (Amaral), by RJohnson (Edmonds). WP- RJohnson. T2:38. A-25,404 (59,166).