Bullpen Spoils Johnson’s Return By Giving Away 4-3 Loss To Toronto

REPLAY: 9-16-97 The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Seattle Mariners 6-3 Saturday night. The score in Sunday’s headline was incorrect.

Randy Johnson allowed one hit in six innings of his return, but Seattle’s bullpen blew another one Saturday night as the Toronto Blue Jays rallied for a 6-3 win over the Mariners.

Johnson, who hadn’t pitched since Aug. 20 because of finger tendinitis, left with a 3-1 lead after six innings on home runs by Jay Buhner and Mike Blowers.

Returning to the mound before 51,631 fans in the Kingdome, Johnson walked one and struck out eight, increasing his A.L.-leading strikeout total to 272. Johnson, bidding for his 18th victory, probably has two more starts this season.

Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr. went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Griffey hasn’t homered in six straight games after getting his 50th last Sunday.

Benito Santiago’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning drove in the go-ahead as Toronto scored three unearned runs in the ninth and five in the game as Seattle committed three errors.

But the Mariners, who have 13 games left, remained 5-1/2 games ahead of second-place Anaheim in the A.L. West. The Angels lost to Kansas City 3-1 in 13 innings.

In the ninth, Bobby Ayala (10-5), Seattle’s fourth pitcher, was victimized by the Mariners’ third error. Third baseman Andy Sheets’ misplay allowed Joe Carter to get on and Carlos Delgado doubled.

Santiago’s sacrifice fly scored Carter and Ayala intentionally walked Shawn Green. Carlos Garcia singled home Delgado and Shannon Stewart’s single scored Green.

Kelvim Escobar (3-1) got out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth for the win.

Johnson left after 77 pitches, Norm Charlton allowed a one-out double to Tom Evans in the seventh and pinch-hitter Felipe Crespo reached on first baseman Blowers’ fielding error. Mike Timlin then gave up a two-run double to Stewart.

Seattle loaded the bases in its half of the eighth, but Escobar struck out pinch-hitter Paul Sorrento looking to end the threat.

With two outs in the sixth and the score tied at 1, Buhner hit his 35th homer, a two-run shot to right. The homer came after a two-out single by Alex Rodriguez.

Blowers gave Seattle a 1-0 lead in the second when he lined his homer over the center-field fence.

Toronto tied it at 1 with an unearned run in the fourth. Mariano Duncan reached on an infield single and went to third when Johnson’s pickoff throw got by Blowers. Jose Cruz Jr. then hit an RBI groundout.

Blue Jays starter Omar Daal gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings.

Where’s that smile?

For many Seattle Mariners fans, one of the most memorable moments Ken Griffey Jr. ever provided was a catch in Yankee Stadium in which he robbed Jesse Barfield of a home run - then raced off the field with a huge grin on his face.

Why, Junior was asked Friday, doesn’t he flash that smile on the field as often now as he once did.

“I don’t make those kinds of plays very often,” Griffey said, but he was joking. “It’s just that I’m older now.”

Translated, that means more mature.

Griffey has grown reluctant to show emotion on the field for fear ever-present cameras will catch it and misinterpret it - feel he’s laughing at another team, for instance.

“I still have as much fun as ever, maybe I’m just more careful about showing it,” Griffey said. “If I laugh in the field, I’ll put a glove up over my face. I laugh as much as ever in the dugout, maybe just not as much on the field.”

Notes

The Mariners’ bullpen has blown 24 saves in 57 opportunities. Timlin has blown four saves in five opportunities since coming to Seattle from Toronto July 31.

MEMO: Changed in the Spokane edition.