M’S Strategy Backfires Late-Game Moves By Seattle Spoiled By Unlikely Batting Hero For White Sox

Just because Chris Snopek responded well to the pressure heaped upon him by the Seattle Mariners doesn’t mean he enjoyed it.

Snopek hit a two-out, two-run double in the ninth inning after an intentional walk to Albert Belle, rallying the Chicago White Sox over the Mariners 4-3 on Thursday.

“It’s a lot of pressure following a hitter like Albert,” Snopek said. “I just tried to stay focused and not let the pressure get to me.”

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his major league-leading 18th home run, helping Seattle take a 3-2 lead.

But Norm Charlton (2-2) relieved starter Jeff Fassero to begin the ninth, and Chicago came back.

Ray Durham led off with a single and Mike Cameron walked. After Frank Thomas struck out, the White Sox tried a double steal with Belle batting, and Durham was thrown out at third.

With second base open, the Mariners intentionally walked Belle. But Snopek spoiled the strategy with a drive high off the wall in right field.

“I thought it was going foul at first, but it straightened out and stayed fair,” Snopek said. “We’ll take it.”

“When you come in with a one-run lead and you walk two you deserve to lose,” Charlton said.

Bill Simas (1-0) got two outs and was the winner. Roberto Hernandez pitched the ninth for his seventh save.

“We’ve been coming back a lot,” Chicago manager Terry Bevington said. “Tonight we were close enough so that a comeback meant a win.”

Griffey, who set a major league record with 13 home runs in April, has homered three times in his past four games.

Fassero gave up eight hits and two runs, one of them unearned. He struck out five and walked three.

Griffey hit a two-run homer in the first inning in his first career at-bat against Drabek.

“He makes you pay for your mistakes,” Drabek said.

Chicago scored an unearned run in the fourth when Snopek reached on an error by shortstop Alex Rodriguez, took third on Norberto Martin’s single and scored on Darren Lewis’ grounder.

Belle’s RBI single tied the score in the Chicago fifth.

Edgar Martinez doubled with one out in the sixth and scored on Buhner’s single to give Seattle a 3-2 lead.

Notes

Griffey didn’t hit his 18th homer last year until May 31. … Belle has hit in 12 straight games. … Chicago has won only four of their last 14 games in the Kingdome.

Pitching coming around

In their past six games (not counting Thursday’s loss), Seattle pitchers have compiled a 4.00 ERA to lower the staff ERA to 5.38. Surprisingly, the bullpen has led the way with a 3.18 ERA over that span, despite the four runs Bobby Ayala allowed Wednesday night.

Cora on fire

Going into Thursday, Mariners second baseman Joey Cora was batting .452 in his past 10 games, hitting successfully in each. The tear has raised Cora’s batting average from .247 to .317. In his first at-bat Thursday he hit a sharp grounder to right field for a single to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.