Royals Trim M’S In Slugfest Batters From Both Teams Take Spotlight In Wild Counterpoint To Pitching Gems

Yes, the Mariners have Jeff Fassero and Randy Johnson, but for fans who miss the endless nights of offense last year - the double-figure scoring for both teams - the Mariners remain a full-service team.

Twenty-four hours after the Kingdome featured a marvelous pitching duel, Seattle and Kansas City showcased fuel-injected offense, with the Royals holding on to the tail end of a once-huge lead to win 12-10.

Pitching? Forget it - the Mariners’ starting pitcher didn’t throw a pitch before heading back to the clubhouse, and those who followed Tim Davis to the mound coughed up home runs and hit batters and allowed enough offense that Kansas City piled up leads of 2-0, 4-3 and 10-3 before this one was five full innings old.

Just as they did in ‘96, the Mariners roared back from the deficits Seattle’s pitching staff helped create. And as was often the case a year ago, when the Mariners finished with an earned-run average of 5.21, not even a season-high 18 hits and 10 runs was enough to catch the opposition.

Russ Davis, who entered the game with a .292 average - and five RBIs in 65 at-bats - picked up a career-high four RBIs in four at-bats, using a pair of singles and two doubles. Joey Cora, batting .174 just 24 hours earlier, continued his late-April surge with two more hits and a sacrifice fly, good for three RBIs.

So the Mariners’ supporting cast pecked away at every lead Kansas City built, while 21,885 fans waited for the heart of the order to jump in.

It did, although not without controversy.

Trailing, 11-9 in the seventh inning, Seattle got a solo home run from Griffey - his 10th of the year - that sailed 458 feet into the upper deck in right field. And by most accounts, it should have tied the game.

It didn’t, because an inning earlier a drive off the bat of Alex Rodriguez that slammed into a fan behind the railing in the right field stands was ruled a one-run double, not a two-run home run. Rodriguez argued. Manager Lou Piniella argued.

They lost the debate, so when Griffey went upper deck for the third time this season and the 13th time in his career, Seattle was still a run short.

Fate and the Mariners bullpen did its best to destroy Piniella’s best-laid plans. After reworking his pitching staff - moving Scott Sanders to the bullpen, waiting for Jamie Moyer to come off the disabled list - Piniella came up with a one-game strategy that seemed to give his team a chance to finish a sweep of the Royals.

Let Tim Davis start. Have Bob Wells ready in long relief. Have Edwin Hurtado ready for a couple of innings and then use Greg McCarthy, Sanders and Bobby Ayala to close the game, since Norm Charlton needed a night off.

It might have worked, but Davis strained his left forearm warming up and couldn’t throw a pitch. Wells went three innings. Hurtado pitched two innings - and Piniella nearly strangled him during one conference on the mound.

Why?

One night earlier, Hurtado had come into a game with Seattle leading 7-1 and walked the first two batters he faced, then fallen behind the third, forcing the Mariners to use Charlton to seal what could have been a six-run victory.

Wednesday, Hurtado inherited a 4-3 deficit, and the Mariners rallied to tie it in the fourth inning. The right-hander had one job when he went back to the mound in the fifth. Keep it close.

He got two quick outs, then walked Jeff King. Then hit Chili Davis with a fastball. Then gave up an RBI single to Joe Vitiello. Then an RBI double to Craig Paquette, putting the Royals ahead 6-4.

That brought up catcher Mike Macfarlane, batting .066. Macfarlane doubled home two more runs and Piniella went to the mound and pointed out that there was no one in the bullpen warming up - this was Hurtado’s game.

Get some outs, Piniella told him.

Almost before the manager was back in the Seattle dugout, Hurtado gave up a two-run home run to second baseman David Howard, putting Kansas City ahead, 10-4.