Buzz On Buhner: He’s Back M’S Right Fielder Shows Signs Of Emergence With 2-Run, Game-Winning Single

Jay Buhner is a sick man, and ost of the Seattle Mariners love that about him.

“Most of the best stories about Jay don’t get written because you can’t put them in a family newspaper,” Norm Charlton said.

Now there’s one fit to print this season - Buhner slapped a two-run single in the ninth inning Tuesday to put Seattle on the scoreboard and help beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 2-1.

“There are guys in here who would rather have Jay get that hit than see themselves get that hit,” Charlton said. “That’s how much he means to this team. Guys in here hurt for him more than he hurts for himself when he’s slumping.”

Mired in a slump that extended into mid-May, Buhner came into the game batting .213, and with the game on the line in the ninth inning, the Brewers intentionally walked Edgar Martinez to load the bases - figuring right-handed closer Mike Fetters could get Buhner.

“It got me going, but it didn’t surprise me,” Buhner said of the move. “Fetters can be filthy with that split-finger pitch, and he’s buried me before.”

Buhner fouled off the first pitch by doing what’s gotten him in trouble for the first month and a half: lunging out to get a pitch as opposed to staying back and being patient.

“I don’t like to think too much, but I think too much as it is,” Buhner said. “I thought about staying back, keeping my weight back, and then Mike left that split-fingered pitch up in the strike zone.”

And Buhner, the batter of choice for the Brewers after Edgar Martinez was intentionally walked, lined it into left field, scoring pinch-runner Rich Amaral and Ken Griffey Jr.

Randy Johnson had pitched the first eight innings, but manager Lou Piniella turned the bottom of the ninth over to Charlton - who responded with his ninth save, his eighth in his last eight chances.

Johnson pitched with more tenacity than velocity, only to find himself outpitched by Brewers rookie Jose Mercedes.

“Mercedes pitched a hell of a ballgame. I’ve got to believe he opened some eyes,” Johnson said. “He shut us down.”

Said Piniella: “The most important thing is that Jay is starting to look like Jay at the plate. How important is that? Let me put it this way: If Jay gets hot, he can carry this team for a month.”

Buhner collected his 16th and 17th RBIs, Johnson his fifth win, the M’s their 22nd to match the fastest 37-game start in franchise history.

Milwaukee’s only run came in the third inning, on a walk and back-to-back hit-and-run infield singles. Johnson held them there until Buhner delivered in Seattle’s final at-bat.

Buhner looked at the gathering media throng around him and shook his shaved head.

“Hey, I’ve been in a rut, but it’s not like I was in a stupor,” he said. “I have had a few hits this year.”

Mariners 2, Brewers 1

Seattle AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Cora 2b 3 0 1 0 1 1 .314 1-Amaral pr 0 1 0 0 0 0 .386 Espinoza 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 .261 ARodrigz ss 3 0 0 0 1 1 .315 Griffey Jr cf 4 1 0 0 0 1 .340 EMartinz dh 2 0 0 0 2 1 .309 Buhner rf 4 0 2 2 0 1 .222 Sorrento 1b 3 0 0 0 1 0 .287 DaWilson c 3 0 0 0 0 0 .331 Gates 3b 3 0 0 0 0 2 .200 Ducey lf 2 0 0 0 1 0 .250 Totals 27 2 3 2 6 7 Milwaukee AB R H BI BB SO Avg. GeWillms lf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .295 Cirillo 3b 3 0 1 0 0 0 .260 Nilsson 1b 3 0 2 1 0 0 .320 Huson 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 .194 Mieske rf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .338 Newfield dh 3 0 0 0 0 0 .250 a-Jaha dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 .257 Loretta ss 3 0 0 0 1 2 .244 Carr cf 3 0 0 0 0 2 .116 Diaz 2b 3 0 1 0 0 0 .256 JsValentin ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 .214 Matheny c 2 1 0 0 1 0 .225 Totals 30 1 6 1 2 4

Seattle 000 000 002 - 2

Milwaukee 001 000 000 - 1

a-grounded out for Newfield in the 8th.

1-ran for Cora in the 9th.

LOBSeattle 5, Milwaukee 7. 2B-Cora (10), Nilsson (9). RBIsBuhner 2 (18), Nilsson (20). SB-Griffey Jr (3). CS-Ducey (1), Loretta (3). S-DaWilson, Nilsson. GIDPBuhner, Mieske.

Runners left in scoring position-Seattle 4 (EMartinez, DaWilson, Ducey 2); Milwaukee 3 (Newfield, Jaha, Loretta).

Runners moved up-Sorrento.

DP-Seattle 1 (Gates and Sorrento); Milwaukee 1 (Cirillo, Diaz and Nilsson).

Seattle IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA RJohnsn W, 5-1 8 6 1 1 2 3 105 2.78 Charlton S, 9 1 0 0 0 0 1 8 5.49 Milwaukee IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA JMercedes 7 2 0 0 2 6 104 3.70 Wickman 1 0 0 0 1 1 14 5.21 Fetters L, 1-1 1 1 2 2 3 0 22 4.05 IBBoff Fetters (EMartinez) 1. HBPby RaJohnson (Cirillo), by RaJohnson (Carr). WP-RaJohnson.

T-2:35. A-13,011 (53,192).

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TODAY ON TV Home again: Seattle will entertain the Chicago White Sox on Fox at 7:30 p.m.