For A Change, Mariners Win With Pitching

Under the circumstances, the Mariners would have been delighted to get out of town Sunday afternoon with any kind of victory.

A well-pitched victory made their day.

“We got good pitching out of (Sterling) Hitchcock, (Mike) Jackson came in and did his job and I came in and got lucky,” closer Norm Charlton said. “But sometimes, that’s all it takes.”

It usually takes more than three runs for the Mariners to win - they have won only five games when scoring three or fewer runs - but Hitchcock’s sterling six-plus innings, Jackson’s scoreless inning and Charlton’s good-luck vibes in a hair-raising bottom of the ninth secured a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals before 20,489 at Kauffman Stadium.

Catcher Dan Wilson slugged a two-run homer in the second inning and Ken Griffey Jr. tagged a solo shot to right in the third off loser Mark Gubicza to build a three-run lead.

“It’s good to see us win a game with pitching,” manager Lou Piniella said.

A base-running gaffe by Royals catcher Mike Macfarlane in the fifth inning helped Hitchcock.

With two outs and nobody on, Macfarlane doubled to left-center. Griffey’s throw to second baseman Joey Cora was wide, but when Macfarlane stepped off the base to dust himself off, Cora raced over and tagged him out to end the inning.

Even with that break, three runs nearly weren’t enough.

The Royals, who battered Mariners pitching for 21 runs in the first two games of the series, scored their first run in the finale when Joe Vitiello homered in the seventh off Hitchcock.

But the Mariners still carried a two-run lead into the ninth with Charlton seeking his ninth save in 10 opportunities.

Third baseman Andy Sheets, making his first start since being promoted from Triple-A Tacoma to replace injured regular Russ Davis, committed a throwing error leading off the ninth. Keith Lockhart’s triple scored Craig Paquette and put the tying run on third with none out.

Charlton clicked into his stopper mode.

“I wanted to strike out the side,” he said.

Instead, he got a grounder hit to Sheets, who held the runner, and then a scorching line drive that Sheets snagged while sprawled on the grass. He jumped up, took two steps to the base and doubled off Lockhart.

A foot or two from going into extra innings, the double play prevented the Mariners from perhaps being swept in a series for the first time since last July and denying Hitchcock his fifth win.

The left-hander, arguably the staff ace with Randy Johnson sidelined with a bulging disk, surrendered eight hits but didn’t walk anyone.

“Other than my first couple of starts, this is the best game I’ve pitched,” he said. “I felt comfortable out there and concentrated on keeping the ball down.”

Hitchcock is now tied with Johnson for the most wins among the starters, but said that doesn’t make him the staff ace during the Big Unit’s absence.

“I wouldn’t want to put that label on anyone,” he said. “We don’t have an ace. What we have is pretty much a staff of young guys trying to get the job done.”

Pitching help

In a continuing effort to upgrade its pitching staff, Seattle acquired right-handed reliever Blas Minor from the New York Mets for minor-league infielder Randy Vickers, then recalled right-handed pitcher Edwin Hurtado from Tacoma.

To make room on the 25-man roster, the Mariners sent Paul Menhart to the Rainiers and designated veteran Bob Milacki for assignment - in essence, releasing him.