Seattle Shortstop Rodriguez Adds Punch To Potent Lineup

Along with the usual run production from the heart of the Seattle Mariners’ lineup, the emergence of young players this season has been equally important in the team’s success.

Seattle’s 20-year-old shortstop, Alex Rodriguez, is contributing tremendously to the Mariners’ climb to the top in the A.L. West.

It was Rodriguez’ grand slam that powered Seattle’s 11-run onslaught of Detroit pitching Thursday. He went 2 for 3 in the game to raise his average to .283. He also has played impressively at short, where he has made just one error in 15 games.

“I never think about being 20. Except when you guys remind me,” Rodriguez said. “I feel like I’m 25. I try to act it and be a professional, go about my business and work hard.”

Rodriguez worked hard last year to hit .360 at Class AAA between trips on the Interstate 5 shuttle between Tacoma and Seattle.

Nonetheless, the experience was invaluable.

“I felt I was a big-league player last year,” Rodriguez said. “We had four (middle) infielders here so the numbers weren’t right.”

He is serving as an unexpected weapon with 14 RBIs from the No. 9 spot in the order.

Carmona down, Davis up

Right-hander Rafael Carmona was sent down to AAA Tacoma on Friday. With a need for another lefty in the bullpen, manager Lou Piniella has elected to go with Tim Davis.

“I didn’t have any idea it was going to happen,” said Carmona. “I feel mad to be sent down. But at the same time, I feel positive. It’s a good chance to get some innings in.”

Carmona is likely to get plenty of work in a starting role at Tacoma.

Davis pitched in seven games with Seattle last season before having arthroscopic surgery to clean up his shoulder in July.

He was 0-1 with a 7.20 earned run average in four games this season at Tacoma.

Blue Jays 10, Mariners 4

Toronto AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Nixon cf 5 1 2 0 0 0 .284 Cedeno 2b 5 2 3 0 0 1 .462 CDelgado dh 4 3 2 3 1 0 .291 Carter lf 5 2 2 4 0 1 .299 Sprague 3b 4 1 0 0 1 1 .213 Olerud 1b 4 0 1 2 0 0 .212 Green rf 3 0 1 1 0 0 .184 O’Brien c 2 0 0 0 0 0 .250 AGonzalz ss 3 1 1 0 0 0 .291 Totals 35 10 12 10 2 3 Seattle AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Cora 2b 4 1 1 0 1 0 .293 ADiaz lf 5 1 2 0 0 0 .212 Griffey Jr cf 4 1 1 0 1 0 .213 EMartinz dh 4 1 2 4 1 1 .339 Buhner rf 4 0 0 0 1 2 .271 Sorrento 1b 1 0 0 0 2 0 .000 a-RJrdn ph-1b 2 0 1 0 0 1 .214 RDavis 3b 5 0 0 0 0 4 .283 DWilson c 3 0 1 0 1 0 .278 ARodrigz ss 4 0 1 0 0 1 .281 Totals 36 4 9 4 7 9

Toronto 200 002 033 10 12 0

Seattle 000 020 002 4 9 0

a-struck out for Pau.Sorrento in the 7th.

LOBToronto 4, Seattle 12. 2B-Cedeno (1), Green (3), EMartinez (9). HR-EMartinez (3) off Bohanon; CDelgado (4) off Ayala; Carter 2 (4) off Wolcott 2. RBIsCDelgado 3 (16), Carter 4 (13), Olerud 2 (9), Green (3), EMartinez 4 (13). SB- Griffey Jr 2 (3). S-AGonzalez. SFGreen. GIDPAGonzalez.

Runners left in scoring position-Toronto 3 (Cedeno, Carter, AGonzalez); Seattle 4 (Buhner, RJordan, RDavis, ARodriguez).

Runners moved up-CDelgado.

DP-Seattle 1 (ARodriguez and Sorrento).

Toronto IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Hntgn W,3-1 6 5 2 2 6 5 115 3.10 Risley 2/3 0 0 0 1 2 16 7.94 Bohanon S,1 2-1/3 4 2 2 0 2 33 7.45 Seattle IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Wolcott L,1-2 7 6 4 4 1 0 104 6.23 Ayala 2 6 6 6 1 3 42 13.50 Inherited runners-scored-Bohanon 1-0.

IBBoff Hentgen (Sorrento) 1. HBPby Wolcott (O’Brien). WP-Hentgen.

T-2:59. A-32,189 (59,166).

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