Error Decides Nightcap For M’S Seattle Picks Up 6-5 Triumph To Earn A Split With Cleveland

Joey Cora scored the go-ahead run on Jim Thome’s bases-loaded error in the ninth inning as the Seattle Mariners beat the Cleveland Indians 6-5 in the second game of a doubleheader Sunday night.

The Indians won the first game of the day-night doubleheader 2-1. In that game, Thome got his 100th RBI on a go-ahead double in the eighth and Charles Nagy struck out 10 while pitching a six-hitter.

In the nightcap, with two out against stopper Jose Mesa (2-6), Edgar Martinez hit a sharp grounder to third that Thome bobbled and threw late to first. Cora had reached on a pinch-single with one out.

Norm Charlton (4-6) pitched the final 2-1/3 innings for the victory.

The split dropped the Mariners 7-1/2 games behind A.L. West-leading Texas and 3-1/2 behind Chicago in the wild-card race. Cleveland has a 6-1/2-game lead over Chicago in the A.L. Central.

The games were played under clear skies following two straight rainouts. The tight games and loud, packed stadium were reminiscent of last year’s A.L. championship series, won by Cleveland in six games.

Nigel Wilson put Cleveland ahead 5-3 with his first major league hit - a tie-breaking, two-run homer in the seventh. But the Mariners tied it in the eighth on a two-run single by Dave Hollins.

If not for a baserunning blunder by Alex Rodriguez, the Mariners would have taken the lead in the inning. Rodriguez led off with his 50th double, then was picked off second by Paul Shuey.

Martinez walked and Jay Buhner followed with a double off the wall in right that would have scored Rodriguez. Then Hollins followed with a two-run single up the middle to tie it.

Buhner gave the Mariners a 3-2 lead in the sixth with an RBI single off Eric Plunk, who relieved starter Brian Anderson.

Cleveland tied it in the bottom of the inning. Kenny Lofton hit a one-out double and scored on Kevin Seitzer’s double.

Sterling Hitchcock started for Seattle and allowed three runs on five hits in 5-2/3 innings.

Seattle took a 2-0 lead in the second on Martinez’s solo homer and Brian Hunter’s sacrifice fly. Cleveland tied it in the fifth on Jose Vizcaino’s RBI single and Manny Ramirez’s 27th homer.

Lofton and Ken Griffey Jr. did not disappoint in a showcase of the game’s two best center fielders. Griffey made a diving, backhanded catch on a line drive by Albert Belle that looked like a sure hit in the fourth. In the bottom of the inning, Lofton saved extra-base hits with running grabs, narrowly avoiding a collision with Belle on one of them.

In the first game, Thome became only the second Indians player ever with at least 30 homers, 100 RBIs, 100 runs and 100 walks. The other was Al Rosen in 1950. Rosen and George Brett are the only AL third basemen in the last 50 years to hit .300 with 30 homers and 100 RBIs.

Nagy (15-4) baffled Seattle’s hitters, striking out the side in the sixth - Griffey, Martinez and Buhner. He struck out Griffey, Buhner and Rodriguez twice each and Martinez three times. Griffey also struck out twice in the night game.

Notes

Nagy has won three straight, allowing only three runs in 24-2/3 innings… . Wilson was 0-for-25 in the majors before his home run… . Martinez needs two more doubles to make the Mariners the fifth team in major league history to have two players with 50 doubles. It was last accomplished by the Washington Senators in 1946, when Mickey Vernon had 51 doubles and Stan Spence had 50… . Each team played its second double-header this season. The Mariners split with Milwaukee, and the Indians were swept by New York while Belle served his two-game suspension for decking Fernando Vina. … Both games were sold out - the 117th and 118th straight at Jacobs Field.

For those wondering, broadcaster Dave Niehaus has made good on his promise to quit smoking since undergoing an angioplasty on the last home stand. Niehaus still carries the open pack of cigarettes he had with him the day he was hospitalized - but hasn’t taken a puff since. “It’s killing me, too,” Niehaus said…. .Piniella’s youngest son, Derek, suffered a slight tear in the anterior cruciate ligament of left knee playing high school football on Friday… .Iowa-born Matt Wagner has a new clubhouse nickame: ‘Corn-fed.’ … Ken Griffey Jr. begged Piniella not to start reserve catcher John Marzano in the second game Sunday, which was televised on ESPN. “You’ll have a national TV audience thinking Marzano is a regular,” Griffey argued… . Griffey picked up his ninth outfield assist in the first game, throwing out Kenny Lofton trying to stretch a single into a double. … When Dan Wilson threw out Lofton attempting to steal in the first game, he became the only catcher to nail Lofton three times this season.