Time Runs Short On M’S Series Not Over, But The Magic Has Disappeared

Good thing the Seattle Mariners have such a big edge in starting pitching or there’s no telling how much further behind they’d be in this series.

There is no further?

Oh.

So the Mariners’ funeral train pulled out of the station Thursday evening, bound for Baltimore and a more private burial than … OK, OK. Let’s not count our stiffs before they’re slabbed.

But, doc - can you prescribe something for this coma?

Most of us like a little delay in our deja vu. Instead, just 20 hours after it happened the first time, the Mariners fell once again to Baltimore, 9-3. Once again, more than a few head from the herd of 59,309 corralled in the Kingdome bolted early into Pioneer Square, where they no doubt encountered the heart of the Seattle lineup panhandling for base hits.

Once again, the M’s had to grimace and bear it - doubts, humiliation, a few boos, the questioning. And in Jamie Moyer’s case, the searing disappointment of a cruel injury at the crowning moment of his career.

The old playoff combination plate, with a side of anguish.

And now?

“We have to find a way to get some runs,” said third baseman Mike Blowers, “get them early, get a lead and hang on to it. And we have to do it Saturday.”

Presumably before Paul Spoljaric or Bobby Ayala can catch a cab to the ballpark.

It will be a shame if the M’s don’t go down with some kind of fight - and an indisputable blotch on what otherwise has been the most successful baseball season in Seattle history.

And the division series - best-of-5, winner to the American League Championship Series - isn’t over, but this much is official: Karma, that great friend in 1995, has done caught up with the Mariners.

That and Baltimore’s starting pitching, Baltimore’s relief pitching, Baltimore’s defense, Baltimore’s clutch hitting, Baltimore’s power, Baltimore’s base-running … have we left anything out?

“They’re playing much better than us,” said second baseman Joey Cora, abandoning any pretense of cheerleading. “We can’t play like we have and expect to beat Baltimore. They’re outplaying us big time.

“We’ve got to clean up our act.”

Agreed manager Lou Piniella, “They’ve done it all.”

And what they haven’t, the gods have.

Blind loyalty will lead the most dogged Mariners fan to chalk Thursday’s misery up solely to the elbow tendon that betrayed Moyer - first in the fourth inning, and for good in the fifth. Yes, at that point the M’s still led 2-1, and Moyer had been marvelous.

“Personally, I was glad to see him go,” said Orioles manager Davey Johnson, a tact-school dropout.

But the fact is, Orioles starter Scott Erickson had been more marvelous. After giving up a single and double to open the game, the sinker specialist had avoided catastrophe by coaxing weak ground ball outs from Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez and Alex Rodriguez. And when he was finally pulled in the seventh, Erickson left having thrown first-pitch strikes to 25 of the 28 batters he faced - falling behind 2-0 only to Griffey, twice.

“I don’t know what kind of scouting report they got on our guys,” said Jay Buhner, “but they’ve shut us down like nobody has all year.”

Before the series, Seattle had pretty much pleaded nolo contendere regarding the bullpen matchup. But the M’s were banking on beating Baltimore’s starters.

“People forget,” said Johnson, “we played .700 ball for four months because our first three pitchers pitched gems every time out.”

Noted M’s shortstop Alex Rodriguez, “What can you do about good pitching? You can’t expect to go out and score seven or eight runs every game?”

Even if that’s what your bullpen demands.

This series has, again, shown Seattle’s deadline trades - however necessary - to be the products of panic and/or overly optimistic scouting. In particular, the two arms acquired from Toronto for Jose Cruz Jr. have been helpless. Spoljaric - the emergency relief for Moyer - has given up as many hits as he’s gotten outs. Mike Timlin was horrible on Wednesday. And the disease spread on Thursday to Ayala, Piniella’s most reliable reliever in September but a punching bag on this afternoon.

It’s arguable that the new relievers got the M’s into the playoffs. But they’re damn sure going to get Seattle out in a hurry.

“You’ve got to have a short memory in this game,” insisted Spoljaric. “Tomorrow’s a new day and you’ve just got to come out and stick it to them.”

Or be the stickee.

It isn’t just pitching. The M’s made some outstanding defensive plays Thursday, but Griffey couldn’t snag the ball they needed most - Roberto Alomar’s double to the deepest part of the Kingdome off Spoljaric that plated the tying and go-ahead runs. The O’s, however, made every play they had to - a couple of great stops by Cal Ripken Jr. at third, and B.J. Surhoff’s throw to cut down Rob Ducey trying to leg out a double.

“Basically,” said Erickson, “I got an extra inning out of big plays.”

And the Mariners got the quietest sendoff to Baltimore that 59,000-odd fans could provide. You’ll find louder crowds at Augusta National with Tiger Woods staring down a birdie putt.

Oh, well. Just think of what the franchise will save on champagne.

Perhaps enough to sign a decent reliever in December.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = John Blanchette The Spokesman-Review