M’S Shut Out For Second Time In 3 Games

For Tom Kelly, it was a long time between shutouts - 61 Minnesota Twins’ games to be exact.

On Tuesday night, Kelly watched as Jose Parra pitched six shutout innings and the Twins’ bullpen completed the job in a 2-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

Kelly, Minnesota’s 11th-year manager, raised his hands high in prayer after the Twins’ first shutout since a 2-0 victory over Texas in the Metrodome last Aug. 29.

“You don’t see many shutouts in baseball any more, do you?” Kelly said. “How many shutouts have there been this year? Maybe we’re fortunate.”

Pat Mahomes, Eddie Guardado and Dave Stevens, who got his sixth save, completed what Parra started for the 10th shutout in the A.L. this season. Dennis Hocking and Jeff Reboulet had sacrifice flies for the Twins, who broke a four-game losing streak.

Kelly saw the Twins beat the Tigers 24-11 in Detroit April 24. He said he enjoyed the shutout against the Mariners much more.

The Twins had only two shutouts last season and had the worst ERA in baseball, 5.76. After Tuesday night, their ERA is 5.19.

“The pitching’s certainly not as strong as it was,” Kelly said. “You have a certain few pitchers who are dominant and then there’s a dropoff.”

Held to six singles, the Mariners sustained their second shutout loss in three games. The Kingdome crowd of 15,626 was the Mariners’ smallest home turnout of the season.

Parra (1-0), called up from Triple-A Salt Lake City on April 23, got his second major-league victory by outpitching Bob Wolcott (1-5), who lost his fourth consecutive decision.

Parra, acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers last July 31, gave up six hits and two walks, hit a batter and struck out four. Parra gave up three singles in the fifth, but Alex Rodriguez hit into a double play.

The Twins retired the last dozen Mariners hitters in order. The bullpen had five strikeouts.

The Mariners lead the major leagues with 55 home runs. They looked anemic against the Twins.

The Twins scored their first run in the fifth when Scott Stahoviak led off with an infield single, Richard Becker singled him to third and Hocking hit his sacrifice fly. The second run scored in the ninth when Tim Davis hit Dave Hollins with a pitch, Pat Meares doubled and Reboulet had a sacrifice fly.

Wolcott gave up one run on seven hits and one walk in 7-2/3 innings.

“It was funny,” Wolcott said. “I was in the clubhouse last night charting the game when they showed the stats on TV. Wolcott 1-4, 7.03 and Parra 0-0, 7.71. I said, ‘Yeah, it’s going to be a real pitcher’s duel.’ It’s amazing. It really was.”

Notes

Seattle’s Randy Johnson, who missed his turn Monday because of an inflammation of a nerve in his lower right back, is making gradual progress and has a good chance to pitch this weekend. … M’s shortstop Rodriguez returned to the lineup after missing 14 games because of a strained left hamstring. He was activated from the 15-day disabled list after a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Tacoma. The M’s optioned infielder Andy Sheets to Tacoma.

Stadium site chosen

The Mariners received their wish Tuesday when the Public Facilities District Board chose a site one block south of the Kingdome for a new baseball stadium.

Backers of the site, including Mariners executives, have said it poses the fewest complications to building an outdoor stadium with a retractable roof.