Guzman Stops Slide, Seattle Guzman Continues Uncanny Success Vs. Mariners In 11-3 Win

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Juan Guzman has got to love the way the baseball world spins when he is facing the Mariners.

Guzman, whose screaming fastball and sharp slider have made him a Cy Young Award candidate in the past, has had a career of inconsistency.

It was evident Tuesday, when he struggled through a 45-pitch first inning.

But Guzman has never lost to Seattle, and even with a poor start, he avoided defeat again Tuesday as he picked up the victory in an 11-3 ballgame in front of 25,912 spectators in the Kingdome.

“Lucky. That’s what I call today,” Guzman said. “I’ve pitched so many good games and I haven’t won them.”

Guzman had lost four in a row, although he led the American League in earned-run average entering the game Tuesday.

“It’s just luck,” he said. “I haven’t been doing anything differently. I try to come here and win like any other place.”

Guzman, who can bounce pitches to the backstop and come back with an unhittable fastball, gave up three first-inning runs and walked six in his 5-2/3 innings of work.

Fitting for Guzman’s performances against the Mariners, Toronto scored four relatively cheap first-inning runs off Bob Wolcott, and Guzman then got some help from his teammates to shut down Seattle the rest of the way.

Although Guzman’s career ERA against Seattle is nearly 5.00, he is 7-0 against the Mariners, 6-0 in the Kingdome. He has given up four runs in two starts (13-2/3 innings) in Seattle this year - all of them coming in the first inning.

What makes his perfection against the Mariners possible is the type of play Blue Jays shortstop Alex Gonzalez made to help him out in the sixth.

Trailing 6-3, Mariners left fielder Brian Hunter singled and Darren Bragg walked with no outs against the erratic Guzman. Luis Sojo scorched a ball up the middle that could have made the game interesting, but Gonzalez went parallel to the turf and picked off the rocket on one hop to start a double play.

“That probably turned the whole game around,” said Toronto manager Cito Gaston. “It got Guzman out of trouble and probably won us a ballgame.”

Guzman left after that, and his victory was preserved by former Mariners reliever Bill Risley.

Other than the Mariners’ three-run first inning, which saw doubles from Joey Cora and Paul Sorrento mixed with three Guzman walks, Seattle did little to please manager Lou Piniella.

“That wasn’t a very good ballgame we played,” Piniella said. “In fact, it’s one of the worst ballgames we’ve played all year.”

The poor performance started in the first when Toronto scored four runs against Wolcott with only one solid hit. Carlos Delgado drove Wolcott’s seventh pitch into the seats in right for a 3-0 lead. An error by Alex Rodriguez, a broken-bat double and a misplayed drive to the gap in right for a triple helped make it 4-0.

“We didn’t do very much right out there,” Piniella said. “We didn’t play very well behind (Wolcott). But he’s also certainly capable of pitching better.”

The infield failed to connect on two double play chances in the middle of the game that would also have helped.

“Just count it as a bad ballgame,” Piniella said. “I don’t know if we’re out of sync or what. But we’re capable of playing better.”

After Gonzalez started the sixth-inning double play, the game essentially was over for Seattle. What didn’t help inspire a late-inning comeback was the relief work of Edwin Hurtado.

Hurtado gave up home runs to Joe Carter - his fourth consecutive game with a homer - and little leadoff hitter Jacob Brumfield as Toronto stretched its lead.