M’S Succumb 4-1, So Fans Cheer Sonics

Seattle Mariners left-hander Sterling Hitchcock was throwing his warmup pitches in the fifth inning Friday night when the crowd began cheering loudly.

Sonics fever had spread to the Kingdome.

“I figured it had something to do with the Sonics,” Hitchcock said. “I knew (Ken) Griffey or (Edgar) Martinez weren’t batting and the warmup pitches weren’t that good.”

On a night when the Mariners’ bats were uncommonly quiet, the Sonics gave the 30,163 fans at the Dome something to cheer about.

As one Chicago team headed home, still one victory shy of a championship, another Chicago team - the White Sox - moved within one-half game of first place.

Frank Thomas, who ranks a distant second to Michael Jordan among Chicago’s professional sports stars, singled, homered and scored two runs to guide the Sox to a 4-1 victory over the Mariners.

Ron Karkovice also homered for Chicago, which ended a two-game losing streak and inched closer to American League East-leading Cleveland. The injury-depleted Mariners remain five games behind A.L. West-leading Texas.

“It’s good to see the Sonics win,” Mariners manager Lou Piniella said.

It wasn’t as pleasing to watch the Mariners get overpowered by White Sox left-hander Wilson Alvarez and two relievers, who checked Seattle on five hits.

“We’re a little banged up and our bench this year hasn’t hit the ball like it did in previous years,” Piniella said. “The bulk of our hitting has come from the regulars.”

Right fielder Jay Buhner is out with a sprained right thumb. Third baseman Russ Davis is out with a broken leg. The M’s suddenly are more likely to struggle against lefties.

Especially against someone like Alvarez, who improved to 8-3 and tied Luis Leal for the most career wins by a native Venezuelan with 50.

“He made good pitches when he had to,” said Mariners catcher Dan Wilson, who drove in Seattle’s only run with an infield out in the second inning. “He has amazing stuff.”

And Thomas has an amazing bat. He put Chicago ahead to stay in the third with his 19th homer.

“If I faced him every day, he would be in the Hall of Fame,” said Hitchcock of the first baseman, who appears headed to Cooperstown anyway. “I thought the pitch … was pretty good. Obviously, he did, too.”

Thomas has been Hitchcock’s nemesis, going 7 for 10.

Even with Thomas dishing out his usual punishment, Hitchcock pitched well and became the first Seattle pitcher since Randy Johnson on April 16 to work eight innings.

Medical report

Medical news at the Kingdome was dispensed by the pound, and almost all of it was good. Not great, Piniella said, but good.

The right thumb of Buhner is sprained, not broken, and he will not be placed on the disabled list - though he probably won’t play until late on this five-game homestand.

Cy Young Award winner Johnson, who hadn’t thrown a ball since May 12, threw one Friday, playing catch for the first time since beating Kansas City more than a month ago.

Chris Bosio, whose ailing knees landed him on the 60-day disabled list, might make a comeback late in July - as a relief pitcher.

“It might mean less of a pounding on the knees,” Piniella said.

The one piece of bad news was about utility man Doug Strange. He was sent home with strep throat, both to get rest and prevent anyone else on the team from being exposed.

Without Strange and Buhner available, the Mariners made a quick call to Tacoma and obtained outfielder Manny Martinez, sending out pitcher Salomon Torres. To make room for Martinez on the 40-man roster, Davis was moved from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL.

In Tacoma, Martinez was batting .314 with four homers and 24 RBIs.

Reliever Tim Davis had the cast removed from his broken left leg and will walk in a splint for another week, then might begin throwing.

Notes

Even with Buhner missing the last two games, Seattle’s regular 3-4-5 hitters - Griffey Jr., Martinez and Buhner - began the weekend with more RBIs (173) than any three teammates in the majors. Who’s No. 2? Colorado’s Andres Galarraga, Dante Bichette and Ellis Burks had combined for 165 RBIs. … Seattle hasn’t won more than two consecutive games since an eight-game winning streak in mid-April.