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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cloude Cool In Clutch Rookie Helps M’S Salvage Split After Johnson Wastes Record

Larry Larue Tacoma News Tribune

The staff ace was dominant but lost because of his own mistakes. The rookie was solid - and won despite the mistakes of others.

In splitting a doubleheader with Baltimore on Friday, the Seattle Mariners lost the first game despite a major-league record-tying performance from Randy Johnson, then won the nightcap behind another superb game from 22-year-old Ken Cloude.

And guess which man will be coming back Tuesday to start on three days rest?

Not the Big Unit, who needed 136 pitches in a 4-3 loss in the opener. No, the Tuesday starter in Seattle will be Cloude, who defeated Baltimore 8-3 in the second game.

It wasn’t that Johnson was rocked - his 13 strikeouts in eight innings gave him 32 strikeouts in back-to-back starts. No pitcher in big-league history has ever had more.

It was just that he pitched well enough to lose.

“Randy pitched … OK,” manager Lou Piniella said.

Johnson pitched better than that, unless - as Piniella and Johnson did - one takes into account the three mistakes he made that beat him.

The first two were pitches down the middle that turned into home runs. The third was an eighth-inning throwing error that gave the Orioles a 4-1 lead and negated Dan Wilson’s two-run home run in the ninth inning.

“I made three mistakes and we lost the game,” Johnson said.

And then there was Cloude. Beaten in his major league debut a week ago, despite six no-hit innings against Chicago, the kid from Baltimore started strong - striking out the side in the first inning - and never let the Orioles lineup rattle him.

“That was a big win for us, a big game for him,” Piniella said. “Part of his package is poise. He looks like a veteran out there.”

In fact, the two runs Cloude allowed shouldn’t have scored. Confusion between outfielder Rich Amaral and Ken Griffey Jr. turned a routine looking fly ball into a one-out double in the second inning when Amaral dove at the last moment and had it bounce in and out of his glove.

Had that ball been caught, Chris Hoiles wouldn’t have come up in the second inning - and wouldn’t have driven in two runs with a two-out double.

Regardless, that was the last hit Cloude allowed in six innings.

It was also the last inning Piniella saw of the doubleheader. He was ejected in the third for debating the call when Amaral was caught trying to steal third base.

“I went out to get tossed, what do you want me to say?” Piniella asked, winking. “We’ve been flat. Tonight we broke loose a little. Let’s hope it continues.”

By the time Cloude had handed his father a baseball and darted past friends and family members to the Seattle clubhouse, a bottle of champagne waited for him - purchased by teammate Mike Timlin to commemorate his first major league victory.

“Am I surprised by my success?” Cloude asked. “I’m surprised I’m here.”

On a day when the Mariners spent more than 14 hours in Camden Yards - then flew to Chicago for a doubleheader today - Johnson was outdueled by Scott Kamieniecki, and Cloude out-pitched veteran Jimmy Key.

Granted, Johnson didn’t get much offensive support. In the nightcap, home runs by Griffey, Jay Buhner and Alex Rodriguez gave Cloude and his bullpen a healthy cushion. But in game-on-the-line situations Friday, Cy Young Award candidate Johnson stumbled.

Cloude didn’t.

“I didn’t have any particularly good pitch working tonight, I just kept everything low and hit corners,” he said. “I grew up dreaming about being here, about pitching in the big leagues. So far, what’s happened blows away everything I thought. This is great.”

Two starts into his major league career, Cloude is 1-1 and has allowed four hits in 12 innings, compiling a 3.75 earned run average.

And he’s had the chance to look at his new team.

“I’ve had two starts, so I don’t want to sound cocky, but this team can go all the way,” Cloude said. “I think anything I give them is a bonus.”

The Mariners were able to get through the two games without decimating their bullpen. Johnson pitched a complete game in the opener, Cloude went six in the nightcap and came out only because he’ll be pitching again Tuesday.

After Cloude, Piniella got an inning each from relievers Paul Spoljaric, Mike Timlin and Heathcliff Slocumb, and Spoljaric was the only one of the three to be touched for a run - and it was unearned. That means that since the trades that rebuilt the Seattle bullpen, the Mariners have gotten 35-1/3 innings from its relievers.

In that span, the bullpen ERA is 3.06.

Before the trade, it was 6.20.

Notes

With an eye to the future, Seattle signed left-handed hitting catcher Rick Wilkins Friday and assigned him to Class AAA Tacoma. Wilkins, 29, is a .246 career hitter in 672 major league games. … Two roster moves are coming, the first on Sunday when the Mariners must make room for Monday’s starting pitcher, Felipe Lira, and another when outfielder Rob Ducey comes off the disabled list. Outfielder Lee Tinsley, for one, could be moved to create a spot for Lira - and Lira could be sent out to make room for Ducey… . Probable pitchers for today’s first game are Jamie Moyer (12-4, 4.12) for Seattle vs. Doug Drabek (9-7, 5.44). Omar Olivares (6-7, 4.54) is to start the second game for Seattle. Chicago has not announced its other starter.